SC to continue hearing tomorrow BJP's plea seeking immediate floor test in MP

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that it will continue hearing tomorrow the petition filed by BJP leaders seeking directions to immediately conduct a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly.

New Delhi [India], Mar 18 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that it will continue hearing tomorrow the petition filed by BJP leaders seeking directions to immediately conduct a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for petitioner and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan, told the court that there are videos, which show that the rebel MLAs are saying it is being portrayed as though they are kidnapped but they are there on their own.

A bench headed by Justice Dr DY Chandrachud said that it is not going to come in the way of the legislature to decide who enjoys the trust of the legislature.

"We do know that these 16 MLAs tilt the balance one way or the other. Just assists us as to what should be the modality of this," the court said.

Mnder Singh, appearing for the rebel MLAs, said that the MLAs resigned due to their ideologies and added that their step was with intention of strengthening democracy.

"Can this court go into intricacies of how and why we resigned? What about the constitutional duty of a Speaker to decide on resignation? Can he sit over it indefinitely? Can he simply sit and not initiate any inquiry?" Singh told the court.

Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi, for Madhya Pradesh Speaker, said that the most important point ignored is that it is a running assembly and not a fresh or a new assembly.

"This court should not interfere with the Speaker's discretion in a running assembly. Which assembly is going to survive like this? If a state Governor is asked to interfere in a running assembly without following the rules?" Singhvi said.

He said that the letters are almost identical and have two lines.

"This petition is a camouflage petition. Don't go by their prayers. They want to short circuit the Speaker's discretion," Singhvi added.

Earlier, advocate Dushyant Dave appearing for the Congress party had said that the BJP is using force and might to invariably destroy democratic principles.

This comes after a political crisis erupted in Madhya Pradesh after prominent Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the party, following which 22 MLAs also tendered their resignation.

Earlier, Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon had written a letter to Chief Minister Kamal Nath directing him to conduct the floor test on March 17.

( With inputs from ANI )