New Delhi: The Supreme Court has asked the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh to give by Wednesday its response to former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's plea seeking a direction for an immediate floor test in the assembly. The apex court issued notices to the speaker of the Assembly and the Chief Minister of the state, and deferred the hearing over Madhya Pradesh floor test, to 10:30 am on Wednesday. The court had begun hearing the petition filed by former MP CM, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and others to hold immediate floor test in Madhya Pradesh State Assembly, but the lawyer representing the Congress party did not turn up, prompting the court to issue notice to the MP government.

A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud on Tuesday said it will issue notice to the state government and others, including the secretary of the legislative assembly, for tomorrow at 10.30 am.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi , appearing for the petitioners said that the other side did not turn up deliberately in the hearing.

The petition was filed on Monday, by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and others to hold an immediate floor test in the State Assembly, amid the political crisis in the state, after 22 Congress MLAs resigned, leaving the Kamal Nath government tottering

The Madhya Pradesh BJP had cited the Supreme Court's decisions in eight cases to establish the primacy of a floor test where it is prima facie proven that the incumbent government does not enjoy the confidence of the legislature, and there should be a test of strength on the floor of the Assembly.

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On Monday, the Madhya Pradesh BJP unit filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking an order to the MP Assembly Speaker to hold a floor test within 12 hours, as per the direction issued by Governor Lalji Tandon.

A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Dr. DY Chandrachud and Justice Hemant Gupta will hear the plea filed by Chouhan, who sought urgent direction from the apex court to the Speaker to conduct a floor test as the latter had postponed it to March 26.

The petitioners said that they are approaching the apex court as the respondents, Speaker and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, have violated the constitutional principles and have deliberately and willfully defied the directions issued by the Governor on March 14, requiring the Chief Minister to prove his majority on the floor of Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly.

Also Read: Madhya Pradesh Politics: Governor Directs Kamal Nath To Face Floor Test On Tuesday

"It is submitted by the petitioners that the leaders of the main opposition party namely the BJP also on March 14 had addressed a letter to the Madhya Pradesh Governor that the government was reduced into minority and attempts of horse-trading were being made," the petition said.

The petition said that in such a situation, the Governor should exercise his constitutional powers and direct the Chief Minister to prove his majority on the floor of the house.

Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon has written a letter to Chief Minister Kamal Nath directing him to conduct the floor test on March 17.