Disqualified MLA’s Won’t Be Allowed in the Floor Test, says SC
Rawat allegedly caught in yet another sting operation, refuses to appear before the CBI.
The Supreme Court has upheld Uttarakhand High Court’s decision to disqualify nine rebel Congress MLA’s and barring them from participating in the floor test on May 10, as reported by ANI.
Supreme Court’s verdict is in response to the petition filed by the disqualified MLA’s, challenging the high court’s decision.
Supreme Court has appointed Principal Secretary Jaidev Singh as the overseer for the floor test on 10 May. Once the voting is done, the results would be submitted to the court on Wednesday at 10:30 am in a sealed cover.
As of now, mobile phones have been prohibited in Uttarakhand Assembly, starting 4 PM in the evening of 9 May, while section 144 has been imposed in Dehradun.
Before they moved the Supreme Court, Uttarakhand High Court had dismissed the plea of the nine rebel Congress MLAs, involved in the sting operation against Rawat.
Justice UC Dhyani pronounced his order on the petition challenging Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal’s decision, disqualifying them after they joined hands with the BJP during proceedings on the Appropriation Bill on 18 March. Following this, Speaker Kunjwal filed a caveat in Supreme Court, adding that if the order is challenged in Supreme Court, it must be heard.
Commenting on the High Court’s order, Rawat added:
The high court order comes a day before the floor test of Uttarakhand’s ousted Chief Minister Harish Rawat on 10 May. The disqualified MLAs will not to be allowed to participate in it, making it easier for Rawat to win votes.
President’s rule would be temporarily lifted on 10 May while Rawat attempts to secure the confidence vote in the House.
Two days before the floor test, another video emerged on 8 May which showed Rawat allegedly bribing MLAs again. A day after this video was released, Harish Rawat claimed that he is willing to undergo a narco-analysis test.
Rawat also retaliated by saying that his phone, as well as of those around him, was being tapped and that he is being surveyed like a desh-drohi (traitor/anti-national).
Earlier, the CBI had summoned Rawat to appear before it on 9 May. The inquiry was registered on the recommendation of the state government and the notification was issued by the Centre.
However, former state parliamentary affairs minister Indira Hridayesh said Rawat won’t appear before the agency.
Uttarakhand has been under President’s rule since 27 March following a sting operation against the former Chief Minister Harish Rawat. The sting operation included a CD released on 26 March which showed Rawat allegedly bribing MLAs.
Two days before Rawat was to face a vote of confidence on 28 March, nine rebel Congress MLAs, led by former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, had alleged that they were offered a bribe by Rawat. The bribes, the MLAs claimed, were in return for their support during the floor test in the Uttarakhand Assembly.
On 1 May, the ousted Chief Minister virtually accepted his presence in the first sting operation video. He said it was not a crime to meet a journalist or an MLA and dismissed the conversation in the video as “meaningless”.
(With agency inputs)
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