[NCP Chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray addressed a joint press conference today morning in Mumbai. (Photo: Twitter/@PawarSpeaks)]
New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has agreed to hear a joint petition by Shiv Sena-Congress-National Congress Party seeking a floor test within 24 hours to avoid horse-trading and "illegal manoeuvres" in Maharashtra at 11.30 a.m. on Sunday.
The petitioners moved the apex court on Saturday evening seeking an urgent hearing following which the court authorities confirmed a hearing on the petition at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.
The petition sought quashing of Maharasthra Governor B.S. Koshyari's decision to invite BJP's Devendra Fadnavis to form the government on Saturday morning as unconstitutional, arbitrary, illegal, void-ab-initio and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India.
In a stunning political development, Governor Koshyari on Saturday morning administered the oath of office to Fadnavis as the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra and NCP leader Ajit Pawar as his deputy.
"The petitioners are praying for an immediate floor test within 24 hours so as to avoid further horse-trading and illegal manoeuvres to somehow cobble up a majority from the Maha Vikas Aghadi," said the petition.
Terming the Governor's decision as a "brazen action", the petition sought the apex court's direction to Koshyari to invite the alliance of Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising the Shiv Sena, the Congress and the NCP "which has the support of more than 144 MLAs to form the government under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray".
The Sena insisted that the Governor has installed a minority BJP government which was illegal, unconstitutional and in violation of the well-settled law laid down by the top court.
Claiming the support of 154 MLAs, the petition said its political alliance constitutes a clear majority in the House.
"It is submitted that such manoeuvring, at the behest of the BJP through the Governor to suit their political agenda, actually amounts to a death knell on democracy which is a basic feature of our Constitution," said the petition.
The petition was filed soon after it was confirmed that 49 NCP MLAs are firmly with Sharad Pawar.
"A total of 42 MLAs attended the CLP meeting at Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in Mumbai. 07 other MLAs will be reaching Mumbai either tonight or by tomorrow morning. We could not contact the remaining 05 MLAs. We hope they will also join us soon", NCP president Jayant Patil, who has been given the charge of NCP CLP leader, said.
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