Shiv Sena Moves Supreme Court Over Maharashtra Governor's Refusal To Extend Deadline

The Shiv Sena on Tuesday approached the Supreme Court seeking urgent hearing against Governor BS Koshyari’s decision to not extend the deadline given to the Uddhav Thackeray-led party to prove they have the numbers to form the government. As per sources, Shiv Sena has also listed the matter for urgent hearing before the top court. Sena has made Centre, Congress and NCP as well as Maharashtra government respondent in its petition in SC.

The Sena, which is trying to form a possible coalition government with the support of the NCP and the Congress, had failed to secure the requisite letters from both the parties. Sena leaders had met Koshyari ahead of the 7:30 PM deadline on Monday to stake the claim to form government.

"The Sena has filed a petition in the Supreme Court against Maharashtra governor’s refusal to extend time. We had asked the governor to give us three days to submit the requisite letters of support. We could have proved our numbers in a floor test later," Sena leader Anil Parab told a news channel. He said senior lawyer Kapil Sibal will represent the Sena in the supreme court.

After the Sena failed to submit the letter of support of MLAs, the governor had invited the NCP, the third largest party in the 288-member Assembly with 54 MLAs, to "express ability and willingness" to stake claim for government on Tuesday night.