Maharashtra floor test on Wednesday: Supreme Court

New Delhi: The floor test in the Maharashtra assembly for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to prove his majority in the assembly will be conducted on Wednesday, the Supreme Court directed on Tuesday.

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The apex court also directed Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to ensure that all elected members of the house are sworn in on Wednesday itself. The entire exercise has to be completed by 5 pm.

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A bench comprising Justices N V Ramana, Ashok Bhushan and Sanjiv Khanna also said the entire proceedings has to be telecast live. Voting in the assembly shall not be on the basis of secret ballot, it said.

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The governor will also appoint a pro-tem speaker who will administer oath to the newly elected members. The following are the highlights of the Supreme Court's Tuesday order, in which it said floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to prove his majority in the House will be conducted on Wednesday.

- Maharashtra Governor to ensure that floor test be held on November 27.

- Pro tem Speaker shall be solely appointed for the aforesaid agenda immediately.

- All elected members shall take oath on November 27, which should be completed before 5 pm.

- Immediately thereafter, the Pro tem Speaker shall conduct the floor test in order to ascertain whether Fadnavis has the majority, and these proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with law.

- Floor test will not be conducted by secret ballot.

- Proceedings have to be live telecast and appropriate arrangements are to be made to ensure the same.

- SC says undemocratic and illegal practices within the political arena should be curtailed.

-SC says if the floor test is delayed there is a possibility of horse trading and it becomes incumbent upon the court to act to protect democratic values.

- Eight-weeks-time granted to Centre and others to file their replies on the plea of Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine against the Maharashtra governor's decision to swear in Fadnavis as chief minister.

(PTI)