The Supreme Court gave its detailed judgment on Madhya Pradesh today.
Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon's move to call for a floor test in assembly after doubts were raised regarding the numbers of the Kamal Nath government was the "right decision", the Supreme Court said today. The court, which was hearing the Congress petition challenging the Governor's direction, said it "rejects the Congress argument that Governor cannot pass orders".
"In a sitting house, there are two modalities -- no confidence motion or floor test. We have given a detailed verdict on Constitutional law and powers of Governors," the court said.
On March 19, the top court had ordered a floor test in Madhya Pradesh Assembly. The detailed verdict it promised the next day was delivered today.
Refering to the Congress contention that the BJP had engineered the collapse of the Madhya Pradesh government, the court said: "Political bargaining, or horse-trading, as we noticed, is now an oft-repeated usage. Poaching is an expression which was bandied about on both sides of the debate in the present case. It is best that courts maintain an arm's length from the sordid tales of political life."
"The spectacle of rival political parties whisking away their political flock to safe destinations does little credit to the state of our democratic politics," said Justices DY Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta, who were hearing the Congress petition.
"It is an unfortunate reflection on the confidence which political parties hold in their own constituents and a reflection of what happens in the real world of politics," the judges said.
The Congress had approached the top court after 22 MLAs quit the party last month, bringing the 15-month-old government of Kamal Nath government on the brink of collapse. Backing Governor Lalji Tandon's direction to the Speaker to call a trust vote, the court had turned down Speaker NC Prajapati's request for more time.
"Weeks are gold mines for horse-trading. It is why the court has been proactive in ordering the floor tests. The idea is to force the hands and make sure the floor test happens as soon as possible and prevent such things," Justice Chandrachud had said.
Ahead of the floor test, then Chief Minister Kamal Nath had stepped down. Days later a BJP government headed by its three-time Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had taken oath.