Former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Granted Permission for Floor Test Amidst ED Opposition

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has received permission to partake in the floor test on February 5, as confirmed by a special court in Ranchi. The advocate general, Rajiv Ranjan, revealed that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) strongly opposed the petition, asserting that the real motive behind arresting Hemant Soren was to destabilize the government. Ranjan emphasized the alleged malafide nature of the entire exercise, maintaining this stance since the beginning.

The floor test is scheduled to commence at 11 am on February 5, and Hemant Soren will be allowed to participate in the proceedings for as long as the voting continues. Here are the key developments surrounding the Jharkhand floor test:

1. Champai Soren is set to prove his majority in the Assembly on February 5, with JMM-led coalition MLAs safeguarded at a Hyderabad resort to prevent potential poaching attempts by the BJP.
2. Hemant Soren filed an application seeking court permission to attend the Special Session of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly for the floor test. The court granted the plea.
3. The advocate general asserted that the ED had no authority to object to the Assembly proceedings when Hemant Soren wasn’t interfering with the investigation. The court allowed the petition.
4. Congress is ensuring the safety of MLAs, with police personnel and separate dining arrangements at the resort.
5. Police officers are securing the entry and exit points to the lifts used by the MLAs, making them inaccessible to other resort guests.
6. Hemant Soren, currently held at Birsa Munda jail, will be brought to the ED office for questioning. He moved the Supreme Court against the arrest, but the court directed him to approach the high court.
7. In the 81-member Jharkhand assembly, the JMM has 29 seats, Congress has 17, and the RJD and CPI (ML) have 1 each. The coalition claims support from 43 MLAs, surpassing the majority mark of 41.
8. MLAs are expected to leave Hyderabad on Monday morning, just hours before the floor test.
9. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal criticized the arrest, noting that it is rare for a sitting CM to be arrested. He expressed dissatisfaction with the Supreme Court’s handling of the case and anticipated more baseless cases against Hemant Soren.
10. Sibal emphasized that the alleged scam involves tribal land, which cannot be transferred, and has no connection with Hemant Soren.

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