SC issues notices to Centre, Maha govt; asks for doc of govt formation

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Sunday issued notices to the Maharashtra government, state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, his deputy Ajit Pawar and the Centre, and asked for relevant documents and letters of support from MLAs by 10 am tomorrow.

The top court while hearing the NCP-Sena-Congress plea against BJP-lead government formation in the state said appropriate orders will be passed tomorrow. This comes a day after Fadnavis was sworn in as chief minister of Maharashtra and Ajit Pawar was made appointed his deputy in a surprise move.

The Bench consisting Justices NV Ramana, Ashok Bhushan and Sanjiv Khanna, asked the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to produce relevant documents including Maharashtra Governor's letter inviting BJP to form the government and letter of support of MLAs by 10 am tomorrow.

On Saturday, the petitioners had filed a petition against the decision of Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, inviting BJP's Devendra Fadnavis to form the government in the state on November 23.

They also requested the Supreme Court to order a floor test to be held on Sunday (today) itself. Senior Congress leader and advocate Kapil Sibal appeared in the court on behalf of the petitioners.

At a time when deliberations among Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena on the formation of a non-BJP government in the state had seemingly reached the final stage, the BJP formed the government in a surprise development on Saturday morning when Fadnavis took oath for the second consecutive term as the state Chief Minister, while Ajit Pawar was sworn-in as his deputy. The BJP won 105 seats in the 288-member assembly followed by Shiv Sena 56, NCP 54 and Congress 44.

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