Kamal Nath has said that he had the numbers to prove majority in the House (File)
The Supreme Court has asked the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh to give by Wednesday its response to former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's plea seeking a direction for an immediate floor test in the assembly. A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud on Tuesday said it will issue notice to the state government and others, including the secretary of the legislative assembly, for tomorrow at 10.30 am.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan and nine other BJP lawmakers, including leader of opposition in the state assembly, moved the Supreme Court on Monday just after Speaker N P Prajapati cited coronavirus concerns and adjourned the house till March 26 without taking the floor test, apparently defying Governor Lalji Tandon's directions.
Appearing for the senior BJP leader and three-time chief minister, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi said "the rationale in this case is that a floor test is required and usually the other side appears in such cases".
Taking note of the submission, the bench said, "We will have to issue a sought notice and keep it for tomorrow morning."
The 15-month-old Kamal Nath government is in huge trouble after the rebellion of a group of MLAs loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia.
The Madhya Pradesh assembly currently has 222 of 230 members and the majority mark is 112. The Congress has 108 MLAs in the House, and the support of seven allied legislators. If the resignations of all 22 MLAs are accepted, the Congress's strength will come way below the new majority mark of 104, and the BJP, with 107 MLAs, can form government.
Here are the HIGHLIGHTS on the crisis in Madhya Pradesh:
Ready to return to Bhopal with paramilitary security: Rebel MLAs
Lashing out at Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, rebel Congress MLAs lodged in Bengaluru on Tuesday said that they were ready to return to their state's capital Bhopal but only with security provided by central paramilitary forces.
Rebel legislators told the media persons in Bengaluru that all of them had come to the Karnataka capital voluntarily, neither of them had been held hostage, nor was there any pressure on them.
The legislators claimed they have not yet decided to join the Bharatiya Janata Party.
As many as 22 Congress MLAs owing allegiance to Jyotiraditya Scindia rebelled against their party government and are since camping in Bengaluru. The resignations of six of these MLAs have since been accepted.
Governor Lalji Tandon has asked Chief Minsiter Kamal Nath to prove majority by today. "Those who claim that we don't have a majority should move a no-confidence motion against my government to get the floor test done," Kamal Nath said after meeting the governor. "I told the governor that we are ready for everything as per constitutional provisions, rules and procedures," he added.
The Supreme Court will today hear a petition filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seeking an immediate floor test in Madhya Pradesh Assembly. The BJP on Monday approached the top court seeking a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh assembly after the assembly was adjourned till March 26, in view of the coronavirus outbreak.