Indian Supreme Court petitioned to halt swearing in of BJP in Karnataka state

Following a post-midnight meeting yesterday, India’s Supreme Court will convene again this morning to hear the continued arguments over who will hold majority in Karnataka.

The state’s election earlier this week was a toss-up between PM Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which secured 104 seats, and Congress, the dominant opposition party which took 78. Despite neither reaching the required 112 seats, the state’s governor has invited BJP to form a government, giving them 15 days to prove their majority.

Many have criticised this decision as Congress and the local Janata Dal party have already formed a coalition, giving them 116 seats and a majority. However, barring significant changes in the evidence presented today, the Supreme Court has decided to uphold BJP’s rule.

Whether or not Modi’s party will be able to prove its majority in two weeks’ time is uncertain. Expect lawmakers to do anything to sway members of their opposition, likely focusing on Janata Dal which is less invested in national politics. If successful, BJP would hold power in 22 out of India’s 29 states and leave Congress with only two.

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