Supreme Court to pass orders on a petition filed by a coalition of Shiv Sena, NCP and Cong tomorrow

The Supreme Court on Monday will tomorrow pass orders on a petition filed by a coalition of Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress that pursue orders to the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government to quickly face the floor test.

“If Fadnavis government have the majority, why should they fear the floor test,” said senior lawyer Abhishek Singhvi who appeared for the coalition of Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress.

A three-judge bench comprising justices NV Ramana, Ashok Bhushan and Sanjiv Khanna had heard the Governor’s office explain that Fadnavis was invited only after he produced letters of support from 11 independent MLAs and Ajit Pawar of the NCP which has 54 MLAs.

Ajit Pawar, whose letter of support with signatures of 54 lawmakers was at the centre of this case, insisted that he was well within his powers to take the call that he did.

“I am NCP. As leader of the legislature party, I am entitled to take call on these issues,” Ajit Pawar’s lawyer Maninder Singh, told the bench.

Fadnavis took oath as chief minister; NCP’s Ajit Pawar who pledged support of NCP lawmakers to the BJP was his deputy.

The three-party coalition next charged to the Supreme Court that set up a special bench led by Justice NC Ramana and heard out lawyers for the three parties for a little less than 30 minutes on Sunday morning.

The three judges had ordered the government to produce the letter submitted by Devendra Fadnavis to stake claim and the governor’s order.

On Monday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Maharashtra Governor’s secretary, submitted the letters right at the start of Monday’s hearing, and insisted that the governor had acted like any reasonable person.

Senior lawyers Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Singhvi, who appeared for the freshly-minted coalition Maha Vikas Aghadi, have accused governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari of partiality.