Picture : Twitter / ANI
The Supreme Court in order to end the political stalemate in Madhya Pradesh has directed the Assembly Speaker N P Prajapati to convene a special session today for conducting the floor test which must conclude by 5 pm.
It would decide the fate of the Kamal Nath led Congress government. The state had plunged into political crisis when 22 MLA’s resigned and senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the party to join the BJP.
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.
Earlier in the day the apex court suggested that the Speaker should interact with the rebel Congress MLAs through video link or the court can appoint an observer to allay the fear that the legislators are in captivity.
However, the Speaker refused to accept the proposal.
The bench said it can create conditions to ensure that “exercise of volition” of the rebel MLAs is “truly voluntary”.
“We can appoint an observer to Bengaluru or some other place so that the rebel MLAs can connect with the Speaker through video conferencing after which he can decide,” the bench said.
It also asked the Speaker whether any inquiry was made on the resignation of the rebel MLAs and what decision has he taken on them.
