AMN

The embattled Shivsena has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s direction to the MVA Government to conduct floor test tomorrow to prove its majority. 

A petition was filed by Sena Chief Whip Sunil Prabhu. Sena counsel Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi requested the Supreme Court for urgent listing of the petition. The hearing will be at 5 p.m. today and the court has directed the petitioners to complete the filing and keep the paper book ready by 3 p.m.

Singhvi said the votes of MLAs facing disqualification would be illegally counted if a floor test is held and it could not include the names which are “stigmatised”.

“Floor test cannot include names which are stigmatised. I want a hearing late in the evening. Votes which cannot be counted will be counted. The entire exercise will be futile,” he said.

Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta said he had no objection to the matter being heard at 5pm and would represent the governor in the hearing.