Top court to listen to at 5 pm Sena's plea challenging Governor's direction to MVA govt

Please confirm that paper books are supplied by 3 pm to parties concerned, says the bench

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to listen to at 5 pm the plea of Shiv Sena chief whip Sunil Prabhu challenging the Maharashtra Governor's direction to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to require floor test within the Assembly on Thursday.

A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala took note of submissions of senior advocate A M Singhvi that an urgent hearing was needed seeable of the choice taken by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari asking the MVA government to prove majority at 11 am on Thursday.

"We will keep at 5 pm. Please ensure that paper books are supplied by 3 pm to parties concerned," the bench said.

Singhvi said the ground test cannot include names which are "stigmatised".

Earlier, the apex court on June 27 had kept inactive the disqualification proceedings against rebel Shiv Sena MLAs before the Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly till July 11, and also sought responses from the authorities et al. on their pleas questioning the legality of notices seeking their disqualification.