Centre is likely to complete proceedings of revocation of President's rule by today, Attorney General informed SC.
Centre is likely to complete proceedings of revocation of President's rule by today, Attorney General informed SC.
Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat won the Assembly floor test, Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi told the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Rohtagi also informed the court that the Centre will revoke President's Rule in the state. “There is no doubt that Harish Rawat has proved majority. My instructions are that the Centre will revoke the President's rule,” said Mukul Rohtagi to apex court.
Centre is likely to complete proceedings of revocation of President's rule in Uttarakhand by today, Rohtagi informed SC.
Harish Rawat faced a vote of confidence on Tuesday with MLAs voting for and against the motion. The nine Congress MLAs disqualified by the Speaker were not allowed to vote.
A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh, during the course of hearing of the appeals against the Uttarakhand high court judgment quashed President’s Rule in the state, had ordered a “floor test” by keeping President’s Rule in abeyance during the voting period.
The results were submitted in the Supreme Court in a sealed cover by the Assembly Speaker on Wednesday morning.
Normally the courts will not interfere in President’s Rule. But, in this case, the court justified its intervention and the appointment of an observer for the “floor test”, saying the purpose is to save the sanctity of democracy which is the basic feature of our Constitution.
This court, being the sentinel on the qui vive of the Constitution, is under the obligation to see that democracy prevails and is not hollowed by individuals. The directions which have been given were singularly for the purpose of strengthening democratic values and constitutional norms.
This is the third time that the apex court had a ordered floor test to determine the majority in the Assembly. It first happened in February 1998 when Kalyan Singh and Jagdambika Pal tested their respective strengths. At that time the UP governor summarily dismissed the Kalyan Singh-led BJP government and appointed Loktantrik Congress leader Jagdambika Pal as CM. In the floor test conducted under the supervision of the apex court, Kalyan Singh proved his majority and became CM.
Similarly, in March 2005, when the Jharkhand governor invited Shibhu Soren to form the government, the apex court ordered a composite floor test to determine whether Shibu Soren or Arjun Munda enjoyed majority. Since Shibu Soren failed to prove his majority and resigned, Arjun Munda became CM.
