Uttarakhand suffers

The Uttarakhand fiasco is a commentary on the sad decline in our adherence to constitutional values. The state Assembly Speaker refused the majority request for division of votes on the floor of the House and disqualified nine dissenting Congress members. Then the Centre showed undue haste in imposing President’s Rule. The high court quashed the decision to impose Article 356 only to have the Supreme Court reverse its order the next day. One hopes the baby doesn’t get thrown out with the bathwater and, in the wrangling over President’s Rule, the state Speaker’s role in the controversy does not go unquestioned.

Amrit Bagchi

Noida