MP crisis: SC directs Speaker to hold floor test by 5 pm on Friday

The Supreme Court directed the Speaker of Madhya Pradesh’s legislative Assembly that a vote test of the government’s majority be done on Friday and the proceedings be complete before 5 pm.

The test, which will be the only agenda item before the Assembly, is to be by raising of hands, said a Bench of judges D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta. The proceeding are to also be recorded on video.

 They said the test is necessary to end political uncertainty in the state. The police heads of Karnataka and MP were also told to ensure security for the 16 rebel Congress MLAs if they chose to appear for the vote.

’’We welcome the decision. This government will lose the floor test tomorrow,” said former chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan. 

The ruling Congress party says it is confident. “We are sure and were always ready. It was necessary that the MLAs who were kidnapped be present here,” said cabinet minister Jitu Patwari.

The MP assembly has 230 seats but two are vacant after their incumbents’ death. Before the current political crisis, the Congress had 114 MLAs and the BJP 107.