The Supreme Court on Thursday noted that the state of political uncertainty in Madhya Pradesh cannot continue and advanced the floor test to March 20.
A Bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta Gupta has thus advanced the date of the floor test by six days. The Speaker had scheduled the floor test on March 26. This means that the floor test would not wait for the Speaker's decision on the resignation of the 16 rebel MLAs.
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Reading from the order, Justice Chandrachud said the court had consistently, from the nine-Bench decision in the Bommai case to Nabam Rabia case of Arunachal Pradesh, held that a floor test is the only sure-proof method to determine whether an incumbent government had the required majority in the House.
The court said the Assembly session would be convened on March 20 and floor test would be its single-point agenda.
The voting will be held by a “show of hands” by the legislators present. The floor test will be videographed and if possible telecast live. Security should be at the premium. The 16 MLAs shall be provided enough security to come to the Assembly proceedings, if they want, and register their vote.
