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:
Rebel Congress MLA Imarti Devi, in Bengaluru: Jyotiraditya Scindia is our leader. He taught us a lot. I'll always stay with him even if I had to jump in a well https://t.co/U6Pe7GjhVM pic.twitter.com/ggjtCOFcA8
- ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2020
