Then Karnataka, Now Maharashtra: Ball In Supreme Court Again

The political impasse in Maharashtra has reached the Supreme Court as the NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena have approached the top court requesting it to conduct the floor test at the earliest. Bench of Justice NV Ramana, Ashok Bhushan and Sanjiv Khanna will hear the joint plea of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress tomorrow at 11:30 am against the decision of Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari inviting Devendra Fadnavis to form the government on November 23.

#SupremeCourt: Justice NV Ramana, Justice Ashok Bhushan&Justice Sanjiv Khanna to hear tomorrow at 1130 am the joint plea of Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress against the decision of Maharashtra Governor inviting Devendra Fadnavis to form the government on Nov 23 https://t.co/5fSEkcsTHs

— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2019

However, reaching out to the Supreme Court is not unprecedented in Indian politics, but the noteworthy point here is that current Chief Justice SA Bobde was one of the members of the bench that decided over the political deadlock in Karnataka in 2018. In 2018, the bench had asked the B. S. Yediyurappa dispensation to prove its majority on the floor within 48 hours. 

Along with CJI Bobde, Justice Sikri and Justice Bhushan were also the members of the bench. However, the swearing-in had not taken place in Karnataka’s case and thus, parties had moved apex court to stop the oath taking ceremony.

Earlier on Saturday, in a major turn of events, Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as Maharashtra’s chief minister, while NCP’s Ajit Pawar took oath as his deputy by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. The Supreme Court will hear a petition filed by the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine seeking quashing of the Maharashtra governor's decision to swear-in BJP's Devendra Fadnavis as chief minister and demanding an immediate floor test to avoid "further horse trading" at 11.30 am on Sunday.

On Saturday night, the three parties, Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP also sought a direction to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to invite them to form government under the leadership of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, saying they have the support of more than 144 MLAs.