SC turns down Congress plea to stall Parrikar’s swearing-in, orders floor test

Stating that “issues of democracy are large”, the Supreme Court Tuesday asked the incoming Manohar Parrikar-led government in Goa to prove its majority on the floor of the House Thursday. The court shot down Goa Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Chandrakant Kavlekar’s plea that the Governor should not have appointed Parrikar as Chief Minister in the first place and his swearing-in should, therefore, be halted.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India J S Khehar accepted Kavlekar’s submission that a floor test was the most valid method of proving majority and said it must be done “at the earliest” to ascertain which coalition could provide the “only stable government”.