Supreme Court allows Nawab Malik and Anil Dehmukh to vote in the Maharashtra floor test tomorrow

A Supreme Court bench of Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala today permitted NCP leader Nawab Malik and former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh to participate in the floor that is to be held in Maharashtra tomorrow.

The duo had moved an application seeking release to participate in the floor test. Senior Advocate Meenakshi Arora appeared for them while Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the authorities.

The court, on hearing their submissions, allowed Malik and Deshmukh to participate in the special session of the State Legislative assembly, scheduled to be held tomorrow. The court directed that since they are both in judicial custody pursuant to cases registered by Enforcement Directorate and CBI, the agencies have been directed to take them to the assembly, bring them back.

Both Malik and Deshmukh are in custody for cases involving money laundering offences. Also, on June 10, the High Court had rejected Malik's petition seeking release from jail to enable him to cast his vote in the Rajya Sabha elections

The application was filed in a plea filed by them before Supreme Court the Bombay High Court on Friday turning down the request made by them seeking permission to cast their votes on June 20. The Supreme Court while noting that larger question involved in this case pertaining to section 62(5) of the RP Act, refused to entertain their plea.