29.6.2022, Wednesady :
MUMBAI: After two courts
including Bombay high court granted them no relief to vote in two
elections, the Supreme Court was quick to permit incarcerated NCP MLAs Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik to vote in the floor test to be held in Maharashtra legislative assembly on Thursday.
Deshmukh and Malik, both members
of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and both arrested by the Enforcement
Directorate for alleged money laundering cases, approached the SC for permission
to vote in the crucial floor test that the Maharashtra Government will face on 30th
June.
Deshmukh and Malik are part of the three party
ruling combine of SS, NCP and Congress and their plea was that their presence
at the floor test is vital and also their constitutional right.
The
SC vacation bench directed that both be escorted and taken to the Vidhan Sabha
hall from judicial custody and brought back after the voting. On June 17, the
Bombay high court holding that there is an express bar under law on people in
prison from voting, said it cannot exercise its discretion to permit Deshmukh
and Malik to exercise the franchise “which is otherwise prohibited by law.’’ HC
Judge bench of Justice N J Jamadar had rejected pleas by Deshmukh and Malik to
cast their votes as MLAs for the June 20 Member of Legislative Council (MLC)
elections