New Delhi: The Supreme Court Sunday asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to place before it Monday morning the letters of the Governor recommending revocation of President’s Rule and inviting Devendra Fadnavis to form government in Maharashtra.
A bench of Justices N V Ramana, Ashok Bhushan and Sanjiv Khanna also issued notices to the Centre and Maharashtra government on a petition filed by the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine against the Maharashtra Governor’s decision to swear in Fadnavis as chief minister.
The court also issued notice to Fadnavis and Dy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
The bench asked Solicitor General Mehta to produce letters of the Governor tomorrow at 10.30 am for passing orders.
The apex court declined the fervent request of Mehta seeking two days time to place the Governor’s communication on record.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal and A M Singhvi, appearing for the combine, told the bench that floor test be conducted today itself so that it can be ascertained that Fadnavis enjoys majority in the house.
They maintained that post-poll alliance of the three parties have the majority in the 288-member house.
While Sibal termed as ‘bizarre’ the Governor’s decision to revoke President’s rule and anoint Fadnavis as the chief minister, Singhvi said it is a ‘murder of democracy’.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for two BJP MLAs and some independents, questioned the maintainability of the writ petition filed by the combine and said they should have approached the Bombay High Court.
Chronology of events in Maharashtra case
New Delhi: Following is the chronology of events in the Maharashtra government formation in which the Supreme Court o Sunday asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to place before it by Monday morning the letters of Maharashtra Governor recommending revocation of President’s rule in the state and inviting Devendra Fadnavis to form government.
October 21, 2019: Elections for 14th Legislative Assembly carried out in Maharashtra for 288 seats.
October 24: Results declared. BJP gets 105 seats, followed by the Shiv Sena which got 56 seats. NCP got 54 seats while the Congress secured 44 seats.
November 9: Governor invites BJP to indicate willingness to form the government while giving it 48 hours to prove that it has the requisite majority.
November 10: BJP expresses inability to form government.
November 10: Shiv Sena asked by Governor to convey its willingness to form government by granting it 24 hours to demonstrate its majority.
November 11: Shiv Sena stakes claim to form government while submitting that it has the majority support. It also requests for three days time to give the letters of support.
November 11: Governor declines to accommodate the request for three days and rejects the claim of Shiv Sena to form the government. Governor invites NCP to indicate its willingness and ability to form government.
November 12: Governor’s decision in rejecting Shiv Sena’s claim to form the government with requisite support challenged in SC.
November 12: President’s rule imposed in Maharashtra.
November 13: Shiv Sena does not mention its plea challenging the governor’s decision in SC.
November 22: Combine agrees to name of Uddhav Thackeray as the Chief Minister of the post-poll alliance Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi’.
November 23: President’s rule revoked at 5.47 am Saturday, Fadnavis sworn in as Maharashtra chief minister, Ajit Pawar as Dy CM.
November 23: Combine moves SC challenging Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari’s decision, seek urgent hearing. SC registry posts the matter for hearing Sunday.
November 24: SC asks Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to place before it tomorrow morning letters of Maharashtra Governor recommending revocation of President’s rule, issues notice to Centre and others.
PTI