New Delhi: The Centre must produce the letters of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claiming majority and that of the Governor inviting to form government, the Supreme Court said on Sunday. In an extraordinary hearing on Sunday, a three-judge bench also issued notice to the Fadnavis, his deputy Ajit Pawar, the state and the Central government. The Centre has to produce the letters in court by 10.30 am on Monday.
The order, for now, has bypassed the Shiv Sena, Congress and Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party’s demand that the BJP be asked to take a test of strength on the floor of the Maharashtra assembly within 24 hours, as happened in Karnataka. “Floor test is the hallmark of democracy. No formalities required,” said Abhishek Singhvi, who represented the Congress.
Countering the need for hurry, the BJP claimed that the Governor’s decision cannot be subject to a judicial review.
Sunday’s hearing comes as the BJP, with some deft political manoeuvring, formed government in Maharashtra on Saturday, outsmarting the three parties that were trying to cobble up a front and stake claim.
After President’s Rule was revoked before 6 am with special clearance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Governor had invited Devendra Fadnavis to form government. The oath ceremony took place at 7.50 am – with Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar taking oath as Fadnavis’s deputy.
It all hinges on numbers now, as the BJP claims it has the support of 54 NCP MLAs. Pawar’s party says Ajit Pawar had misled the Governor, submitting a letter with list of MLAs that was meant as a support letter for the alliance. The NCP claims it has 50 MLAs with it.
As Justice Ashok Bhusan, part of the three-judge bench hearing the case under instructions of Chief Justice SA Bobde, asked when Fadnavis had submitted the support letter, Sibal responded that it was “not on record”.
“It is betrayal. The Governor didn’t ask for any material… The Supreme Court had ordered Karnataka floor test within 24 hours,” said Abhishek Singhvi, who represented the Congress.
Former Union minister and senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who is representing the Sena, said, “They say have support they say, they must be directed to take floor test”.
Appearing for the BJP MLAs and two Independents, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi claimed that the Governor’s decision cannot be subject to a judicial review.
“The Governor not answerable for his actions. There is complete bar on any action against Governor. The Governor is immune under Article 361,” he said.
In 2014, after the Supreme Court ordered a trust vote, the BJP’s BS Yeddyurappa, 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 Fadnavis before inviting him to form government. This was especially so when the Sena, NCP and the Congress, which have 154 MLAs together, said they would stake claim to form the government, they claimed.
“The Hon’ble Governor has acted in a partisan manner and has made a mockery of the high office of the Governor… the Governor’s actions between the intervening night of 22.11.2019 and 23.11.2019 culminating to the swearing in on the 23.11.2019 are a text book example of the Governor acting at the behest of a political party in power at the Centre,” the petition read.
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