New Delhi: The BJP won another day to rally numbers in Maharashtra as the Supreme Court, after an 80-minute hearing on Monday, said it would declare its decision on Tuesday on a petition challenging the surprise government formation by Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday morning.
The centre argued that Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari invited Devendra Fadnavis to form government in Maharashtra based on a letter showing the support of 170 MLAs, including all 54 of Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). On the other hand, the rival group of Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress submitted documents claiming the support of 154 MLAs and called for an “immediate” test of strength in the Maharashtra assembly.
The Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP have challenged the manner in which Fadnavis was sworn in along with NCP’s Ajit Pawar as his deputy at 7:50 am on Saturday after President’s Rule was revoked at 5:47 am; Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly used a special rule that allows such decisions without a cabinet meet.The rapid developments took place hours after the Sena, NCP and Congress held a joint meeting and announced an alliance with Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray as Chief Minister.
The BJP, which has 105 MLAs in the 288-member Maharashtra assembly, needs 40 more to reach the majority-mark of 145. “We have 170 MLAs. The Governor saw the support of 170 MLAs. It is not a forged letter. The (BJP) was called and it took oath,” said former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, representing Fadnavis and the BJP.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Governor’s office, said Ajit Pawar had submitted letters of support from all 54 NCP MLAs. “Ajit Pawar submitted letter on 22 November with signatures of 54 MLAs,” Mehta said, asserting that it was after this letter that Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari invited Devendra Fadnavis to form government. “The letter says earlier I had expressed inability to form government. For a stable government we have decided to support Devendra Fadnavis and we will serve Maharashtra,” said the top lawyer. The governor, he said, couldn’t go for any roving inquiry and he had no reason to doubt the letter.
Appearing for BJP MLAs and two Independents, Mukul Rohatgi claimed that the Governor’s decision cannot be subject to a judicial review. “The Governor not answerable for his actions… The Governor is immune under Article 361. There is complete bar on any action against Governor,” he said.
Kapil Sibal, representing the rival alliance, called the BJP government formation “fraud of democracy” and called for an immediate floor test. “What’s the national emergency to revoke President rule? Why did these things happen between 7 PM and 5.47 am? Can’t Governor wait for 24 hours,” he questioned. His colleague Abhishek Manu Singhvi, urged the court to call an immediate floor test with an interim Speaker to preside over it.
The Supreme Court held a special hearing on the petition on Sunday and asked the centre to produce the letter from Devendra Fadnavis claiming majority and that of the Governor inviting him to form government.
The three-judge bench also issued notice to Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, whose party chief and uncle Sharad Pawar insists he went rogue and that all MLAs are with the party. The NCP alleges that Ajit Pawar misled the Governor, submitting a letter with list of MLAs that was meant to show support letter to the Sena-led alliance with a cover letter that claimed support to the BJP.
The court has not yet asked Fadnavis to take a test of strength on the floor of the Maharashtra assembly as the petition demands. The Governor has also not yet given a date for the floor test.
The BJP said the Governor’s decision to invite Devendra Fadnavis to form government cannot be subject to a judicial review. It had also asked for more time to produce the letters, which was turned down by the court.
In 2018, after the Supreme Court ordered a trust vote, the BJP’s BS Yediyurappa, who had taken oath as the Chief Minister, stepped down saying he didn’t have the numbers.In their petition, the three parties have claimed that the Governor was “duty bound” to study the claim of Mr Fadnavis before inviting him to form government. This was especially the case when the Sena, NCP and the Congress expressed their intention to stake claim to form the government, they said.
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