Governor not expected to conduct roving and fishing inquiry

Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s office on Monday told the Supreme Court that he was not expected to conduct a roving and fishing inquiry once he received letters of support that indicated Devendra Fadnavis had the support of 170 MLAs.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the governor’s secretary, told a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court that Raj Bhavan had received a letter from Ajit Pawar extending support a Devendra Fadnavis-led government.

This letter had the signatures of 54 MLAs of the Nationalist Congress Party.

Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for Devendra Fadnavis, backed Raj Bhavan, insisting that the governor had acted like a reasonable person.

Rohatgi said, “The Governor went by largest party with the support of 170 MLAs. They have never claimed that signatures of their MLAs are created.”