BJP MLA Kalidas Kolambkar appointed as pro tem speaker for Maharashtra floor test

• BJP MLA Kalidas Kolambkar appointed as pro tem speaker for Maharashtra floor test.
• Sena-NCP-Congress alliance want Balasaheb Thorat as pro tem speaker. They have reportedly sent a letter to Maharashtra governor seeking Thorat's appointment.
• The Supreme Court today ordered a floor test in Maharashtra assembly on November 27 by 5 pm
  
• Further, it also asked the governor to appoint a pro tem speaker who will supervise the floor test tomorrow.

BJP MLA Kalidas Kolambkar appointed as pro tem speaker for Maharashtra floor test. Sena-NCP-Congress alliance want Balasaheb Thorat as pro tem speaker, send letter to governor. This comes after both BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM resigned from their post paving way for Sena's Uddhav Thackarey to be the next CM.

The Supreme Court today ordered a floor test in Maharashtra assembly on November 27 by 5 pm, asking the governor to appoint a a pro tem Speaker has to be elected before a floor test can commence in Maharashtra.

This order comes after Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine filed a case in the Supreme Court on Saturday claiming that the governor swearing in Devendra Fadnavis on early Saturday morning was--illegal.

The Court also asked the governor to appoint a pro-tem speaker as the floor test would not be conducted by secret ballot and the proceedings would be telecast live.

On November 26, both the parties-- BJP as well as the Sena and NCP faction agreed in court that they were ready for a floor test. In fact, Sena-NCP-Congress combine organized a parade with over 160 MLAs late yesterday.

Who is a pro tem Speaker?

Pro-tem Speaker is a temporary speaker who administers the oath to the MLAs. He is generally the senior most member of the house. The role of the pro tem speaker is limited to monitoring the oath and enabling the process of election of a new speaker, who later conducts the floor test for chief minister.

In this case, a pro tem speaker who will be appointed by the governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, will also conduct the floor test. The affidavit filed by Sena in Supreme Court however had questioned the governor’s move to swear in Fadnavis early morning.

Fadnavis will now have to prove his majority in the assembly through a vote of confidence. The BJP government will fall if Fadnavis fails the confidence motion.