SC Orders Floor Test in Madhya Pradesh Assembly on Friday

Image of MP chief minister, Kamal Nath, used for representational purposes.

(Photo: Erum Gour / The Quint)

The Supreme Court on Thursday, 19 March, directed the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker N P Prajapati to convene a special session tomorrow for conducting the floor test which must conclude by 5 pm.

A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud also ordered video recording and possible live streaming of the Assembly proceedings when the Kamal Nath-led Congress government would undertake the floor test.

The bench, also comprising Justice Hemant Gupta, directed the police chiefs of Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka to provide security to the 16 rebel Congress MLAs if they choose to appear in Assembly for trust vote.

The bench also ordered that the Assembly will have a single point agenda of the floor test and no hindrance is to be created for anyone.

It asked the state Assembly Secretary to ensure that there is no breach of law and order.

The Supreme Court was hearing the petition filed by former Madhya Pradesh CM and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan and others to hold a floor test in the state Assembly.

The petition was filed as the Kamal Nath-led government is on the brink of collapse, after Jyotiraditya Scindia's switched over to the BJP and the resignation of 22 Congress MLAs.

(With inputs from PTI)