MP Crisis: SC orders floor test on Friday

New Delhi, Mar 19: Ending the suspense over the future of Kamal Nath led Congress government in Madhya Pradesh the Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the Speaker of the Assembly to conduct the floor test on Friday.

The apex court said in order that the floor test to be held on Friday by show of hands in the Assembly and that the session must conclude by 5 pm. The session will have single point agenda of floor test and that no one should create any hindrance, the court said adding that the proceedings will be video recorded.

Following the resignation of 22 MLAs owing allegiance to Gwalior scion Jyotiraditya Scindia who recently joined the BJP, the Governor had asked the Speaker to conduct the floor test. However, the Kamal Nath Government tried to duck the Governor’s directive using the alibi of coronavirus outbreak.

The BJP, led by former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Speaker for conducting the floor test as the Kamal Nath government was reduced to minority following these resignations.

The hearing on BJP’s plea for immediate floor test in the state was resumed today. After the hearing, the Supreme Court ruled that uncertainty over the government should be resolved and ordered the state Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati to conduct the floor test on Friday.

Earlier, the apex court suggested that the Speaker should interact with the rebel Congress MLAs through videoconferencing or the court can appoint an observer to put an end to the fear that the MLAs were kept in captivity. The Speaker, however, refused to accept the apex court’s proposal.

Former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan questioned the Speaker’s attitude on seeking extra time. What does the Speaker need extra time for? he asked.

Senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi who appeared on behalf of the Speaker sought 15-day time and urged the apex court to allow the rebel MLAs to return to their homes. However, the court rejected the request of the 16 rebel Congress MLAs of Madhya Pradesh to allow them to appear before the court to prove that they were not being held captive and had resigned on their own.

With the fear of defeat looming large, the Kamal Nath government has filled the vacant posts of chairpersons of various boards and commissions including MP State Commission for Women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBCs and Youth besides two members of the Public Service Commission (PSC). The chairman of the MP Private University Regulatory Commission (MPPURC) was also appointed.