The state government managed to appoint seven governor-nominated members of Legislative Council and administer the oath of office to them barely two hours before the Model Code of Conduct came into force for the Maharashtra elections on Tuesday, leaving the Opposition crying foul. The Shiv Sena (UBT) immediately challenged the government in the Bombay High Court, which had already reserved its order on a petition that had asked the governor to appoint 12 nominees that the MVA government had recommended four years ago.

Shiv Sena’s petitioner Sunil Modi told the court that the government had made appointments. A bench comprising Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar asked if the names were from the old list that had been returned. The government replied that there was no stay on appointments and that the nominees were from a fresh list. The court took the details on record as per the petitioner’s request.