New Delhi/Bhopal, March 19: The Supreme Court on Thursday pushed for a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh assembly even as Chief Minister Kamal Nath said the Congress government has the majority. Hearing a petition moved by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seeking an immediate floor test, the Supreme Court observed that Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon was within his rights to ask the Kamal Nath government to prove majority. Madhya Pradesh Political Turmoil: Will Kamal Nath Government Survive Floor Test? Know The Number Game Between Congress And BJP.

"If the House is not in session and if the government loses its majority, then the Governor has power to direct Speaker to hold trust vote," a division bench of justice DY Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta said. The court contested advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi's argument that the Governor had no authority to order a floor test. Singhvi was representing Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati who adjourned the House till March 26.

"How can the Governor decide that the government has lost its majority? What is the House for if the Governor can decide on his own? Singhvi asked. "What happens when the assembly is prorogued and a government loses its majority? Cannot the Governor then call the assembly? Since not allowing this would mean a government in minority to continue," replied the judges, refusing to give two-week time for the floor test.

"Weeks are gold mines for horse-trading. It is why the court has been proactive in ordering the floor tests. The idea is to force the hands and make sure the floor test happens as soon as possible and prevent such things," Justice Chandrachud remarked. Governor Lalji Tandon directed CM Kamal Nath to prove his majority in the House after his address on March 16. However, the House was adjourned over the coronavirus scare shortly after Tandon's address.

Speaking to India Today, CM Kamal Nath maintains that the rebel Congress legislators are with the party. "They have not resigned, nor that the party has expelled them," Nath said. The Congress government is in deep crisis after 22 party legislators resigned from the assembly. Of these 22, the resignation of six MLAs has been accepted by Speaker NP Prajapati.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 19, 2020 02:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).