Maharashtra: Anil Deshmukh, Nawab Malik move SC; seek voting rights ahead of floor test

Ahead of the crucial floor test on June 30, former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik have filed a petition in the Supreme Court requesting voting rights. The two jailed NCP leaders have requested that they also be given the right to vote in the floor test which has been scheduled by the Maharashtra Governor to decide the fate of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. The Supreme court has said that it will hear the petition of the two leaders at 5.30 PM today (June 29).

Notably, a similar demand had been raised by Deshmukh and Malik to vote in the Rajya Sabha elections. Thereafter, the duo had sought temporary release from prison to cast their votes in the Maharashtra Legislative Council polls as well. On both occasions, the politicians had been denied relief.

The Supreme Court had made a key observation while denying relief to Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik ahead of the MLC elections. "You can't vote while in jail or in police custody," Justice Ravi Kumar had observed.

Fate of floor test hangs in limbo; SC to decide at 5 PM

After closely observing the political drama unfolding in Maharashtra following the rebellion of Shiv Sena Minister Eknath Shinde, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday night met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. The former Chief Minister submitted a letter to the Governor, urging him to ask the Uddhav Thackeray-led government to prove its majority in the 288-member Assembly. 

Taking cognisance of the 'disturbing events', Governor Koshyari has called for a special session of the Vidhan Sabha at 11 AM on June 30 with the only agenda of a trust vote against the Chief Minister. The proceedings of the floor test will be concluded at 5 PM on 30.06.2022 and telecast live for which appropriate arrangements shall be made, he has directed.

However, ahead of the no-trust motion, Shiv Sena Chief Whip Sunil Prabhu, represented by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, moved the SC bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala, seeking a stay on the Governor's move. The SC is all set to decide on the legality of the floor test called by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at 5 PM on Wednesday.