Apex Court directs MP assembly session tomorrow, floor test by 5pm

 

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed Madhya Pradesh assembly speaker N P Prajapati to convene a special session on Friday for conducting the floor test which must conclude by 5 pm.

A bench, headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud, also ordered video recording and possible live streaming of the Assembly proceedings when the Kamal Nath-led Congress government undertakes the floor test. The bench, also comprising Justice Hemant Gupta, directed the police chiefs of Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka to provide security to the 16 rebel Congress MLAs if they choose to appear in Assembly for trust vote. The bench also ordered that the Assembly will have a single point agenda of the floor test and no hindrance is to be created for anyone. It asked the state Assembly Secretary to ensure that there is no breach of law and order.

The plea filed by former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and nine BJP lawmakers was moved in the top court just after the Speaker cited coronavirus concerns and adjourned the House till March 26 without taking the floor test apparently defying the directions of Governor Lalji Tandon.

On Saturday night, Tandon wrote to Nath asking him to seek trust vote in the Assembly soon after the Governor’s address on Monday, saying his government was in minority. After the Speaker accepted the resignation of six Congress MLAs on Saturday, the party now has 108 legislators. These include 16 rebel legislators who have also put in their papers but their resignations are yet to be accepted. The BJP has 107 seats in the House, which now has an effective strength of 222, with the majority mark being 112.