Mumbai: NCP leader and Minister Nawab Malik and former state Minister Anil Deshmukh, who are presently lodged in jail have moved Supreme Court on Wednesday seeking permission to attend the floor test in Maharashtra Assembly on Thursday. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear their plea Wednesday evening.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to take up Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's plea against Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's letter that directed the Maha Vikas Agadhi government to prove their majority on the floor of the House on Thursday.
Also read: Uddhav to prove majority tomorrow? SC to hear his 'floor test' plea today evening
Earlier the Bombay High Court declined permission for the temporary release of Minister Nawab Malik and former state Minister Anil Deshmukh to vote for the upcoming June 20 elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Council. The duo were also not allowed to vote in the Rajya Sabha elections.
Justice N J Jamadar then ruled that while the lawyers of the NCP leader had argued before the court that their clients must be permitted to vote to uphold democratic principles, the concept of democracy "transcended electoral democracy." The NCP leaders were arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on money laundering charges.
