NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Tuesday recommended President's rule in Maharashtra as no party has been able to form the government. Top leaders from the NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena were holding a flurry of consultations in a bid to tot up the numbers and resolve the impasse over government formation in the state.

The cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to recommend to the president for Centre's rule in the state.

The Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Tuesday submitted a report to President recommending President's rule in the state.

"Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshyari having been satisfied that as Govt of Maharashtra cannot be carried on in accordance with the Constitution, has today submitted a report as contemplated by the provisions of Article 356 of Constitution (President's Rule)," read a tweet from his office.

Reacting to the development, Shiv Sena has filed a plea in the Supreme Court challenging the governor's decision to decline extension of time sought by the Uddhav Thackeray-led party for submitting the "requisite letter of support" to prove its claim to form a government on Monday night.

The Sena, which is trying to form a possible coalition government with the support of the NCP and the Congress, had failed to secure the requisite letters from both the parties.

"The Sena has filed a petition in the Supreme Court against Maharashtra governor's refusal to extend time. We had asked the governor to give us three days to submit the requisite letters of support. We could have proved our numbers in a floor test later," Sena leader Anil Parab told a news channel.

He said senior lawyer Kapil Sibal will represent the Sena in the supreme court.

After the Sena failed to submit the letter of support of MLAs, the governor had invited the NCP, the third-largest party in the 288-member Assembly with 54 MLAs, to "express ability and willingness" to stake claim for government on Tuesday night.

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