Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis says 'satisfied' after SC's verdict on political crisis

Affirming that the High Court decision over the Maharashtra political emergency is the 'triumph' of a vote-based system and the majority rule process, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said that he is happy with the top court's judgement.

"This is a triumph for a majority rules government and the popularity-based process. We are happy with the decision given by the High Court," Fadnavis said tending to a joint public interview with Maharashtra boss pastor Eknath Shinde in Mumbai.

The Supreme Court also refused to interfere with the formation of the Shiv Sena government with the support of the BJP, as Uddhav Thackeray resigned without facing a floor test.

The deputy chief minister further said that after the verdict of the SC, Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) 'conspiracy' has been defeated.

Also Read: Maharashtra Assembly speaker’s decision to appoint Gogawale as whip of Shiv Sena party was illegal, says SC

"The present government is completely legal," he added.

The Supreme Court further said that it cannot disqualify the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government and rejected the submission to reinstate Uddhav Thackeray as chief minister because the latter had chosen to resign instead of facing a test of strength in the assembly.

A five-member Constitution bench led by the Chief Justice of India, which had been hearing a batch of petitions filed by both the groups of the Shiv Sena from February this year, today ruled that the exercise of discretion by the then Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari to conduct a Floor Test was not in accordance with the Constitution of India. The bench also said that the Speaker's decision to appoint Bharat Gogawale a whip of the Eknath Shinde group was wrong.

The Supreme Court observed that the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker’s decision to appoint Bharat Gogawale (backed by the Shinde group) as the whip of the Shiv Sena party was illegal.

The top court further stated that the Election Commission of India can decide under the order of the symbol despite the pendency of proceedings before the Speaker. “To hold that the ECI is barred from deciding symbols will be like staying proceedings indefinitely”, added the Court.

The Supreme Court will also decide whether Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and 15 other MLAs should be disqualified for revolting against then-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in June 2022.

While speaking on the role of the Governor, the Supreme Court said that the Governor is not entitled to enter the political arena and play a role in intra-party to inter-party disputes. 

The top court also added that the Governor cannot act upon inference and ought not to rely on the letter which states that former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray has lost the majority.