Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level : Nothing much
Mains level : Coalition politics- role of Governor
Context
Devendra Fadnavis quit ahead of the test in the State Assembly, which may have caused imminent ouster.
Democracy sustained
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- The government not standing is a tribute to India’s constitutional order.
- Supreme Court acted with the urgency to protect democratic values.
- It laid down the rules and timelines; ring-fenced the floor test and pre-empted manipulation.
- It observed that when “there is a possibility of horse-trading, it becomes incumbent upon the Court to act”.
- The Supreme court’s order called into question the propriety and intention of the Centre and the Governor.
- The Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress alliance will test its majority after forming the government.
Misuse of rules and abuse of precedents
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- Governor – The Governor used his discretion in a partisan manner to foist the government based on dubious claims of numbers.
- He denied the opportunity to the coalition.
- He is constitutionally authorized to appoint a Chief Minister.
- The limits of this authority are being breached with frequency and extent by partisan Governors acting as tools in political schemes.
- Centre – The Centre rushed through the procedure to withdraw the President’s rule.
- Constitutional morality was violated by those entrusted to guard it.
- Governor – The Governor used his discretion in a partisan manner to foist the government based on dubious claims of numbers.
Way ahead
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- There is a need to define the boundaries of the Governor’s use of discretion in inviting a party to form a government.