Uttarakhand Crisis: 9 Rebel Cong MLAs File Plea Against Speaker

Follow the live updates on the political crisis in Uttarakhand on The Quint.

President’s Rule was imposed in Uttarakhand on 27 March, 2016. (Photo: Altered by The Quint) 

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• Nine rebel Cong MLAs file plea in Uttarakhand High Court against Speaker’s decision to disqualify them from Assembly.
• Former CM of Uttarakhand, Harish Rawat said that he submitted two memorandums signed by 34 MLAs to the Governor.

• Uttarakhand High Court to continue hearing Congress’ petition against the President’s rule tomorrow.
  
• Uttarakhand Congress government has been murdering democracy every day, said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
  
• Harish Rawat met Governor KK Paul at Raj Bhawan.
  

Updated at:28th Mar, 2016 at 7:48 PM

Nine rebel Cong MLAs filed plea in Uttarakhand High Court against Speaker’s decision to disqualify them from Assembly. The court will hear the matter tomorrow.

Updated at:28th Mar, 2016 at 7:52 PM

Rawat was Caught on Camera: Venkaiah Naidu

Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said, “There was horse-trading and former Chief Minister himself was caught on camera”.

Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu (Photo: ANI)

Recently, a sting video was released by the rebel MLAs targeting former Chief Minister Harish Rawat which allegedly showed him indulging in horse-trading to save his government.

The sting showed Rawat allegedly offering money to legislators to vote for his government in the vote of confidence mandated by Governor KK Paul before 28 March.
(Read: Rebel Congress MLAs Sting CM Harish Rawat, Allege Horse-Trading)

Updated at:28th Mar, 2016 at 5:36 PM

Election Gave Clear Mandate to Congress: Tharoor

“Election gave a clear mandate to Congress. To declare President’s Rule is a suspension of democracy. Courts wont allow it,” said Shashi Tharoor.

“The decision to impose President’s rule in Uttarakhand has been taken undemocratically,” said Nitish Kumar, Bihar Chief Minister.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (Photo: ANI)

Updated at:28th Mar, 2016 at 6:42 PM

Congress Plea in Uttarakhand High Court

Uttarakhand High Court to continue hearing Congress’s petition against President’s rule tomorrow. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta to appear for the Centre.

Updated at:28th Mar, 2016 at 4:52 PM

Government Still Enjoys a Majority, Says Former CM Harish Rawat

After meeting Uttarakhand governor KK Paul, former Chief Minister Harish Rawat told reporters that in a letter addressed to the governor, he has listed down all the points made by the Congress regarding the ongoing political crisis in the state.

We submitted two memorandums to the governor signed by 34 MLAs. We also told him that the dismissed government still enjoys a majority.

<b>Harish Rawat, Former Chief Minister</b>

He also criticised the Central government for imposing the President’s rule just a day before he was slated to face a floor test to prove the Congress government’s majority.

This is an insult to us, to the state and the constitution. Those who imposed the rule do not respect the constitution. We believe in the constitution and the law.

<b>Harish Rawat, Former Chief Minister</b>

Updated at:28th Mar, 2016 at 5:34 PM

Hearing Against President’s Rule Begins

The Uttarakhand High Court begins hearing the petition filed by the Congress against the imposition of President’s rule in the state on Monday.

Justice UC Dhyani is hearing the petition. Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi is representing his party in the case.

The Union Cabinet recommended imposition of President’s rule in Uttarakhand on Sunday.

With this, the Uttarakhand Assembly was kept in suspended animation after President Pranab Mukherjee signed a proclamation under Article 356, just a day before Chief Minister Harish Rawat was slated to face a floor test to prove the Congress government’s majority.

Updated at:28th Mar, 2016 at 2:15 PM

Congress Govt of Uttarakhand Has Been Murdering Democracy: FM Arun Jaitley

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley addressed the allegations made against the BJP by Harish Rawat and other Congress leaders regarding the current political crisis in Uttarakhand.

Rawat had said that the Centre is using brute power to muscle in on a small state like Uttarakhand.

Harish Rawat is not important, CMs come and go. But if ‘dhan-shakti’ is used to bring change in the government then every year a CM will be removed this way which will lead to political instability in the state.

<b>Harish Rawat, Chief Minister, Uttarakhand</b>

Also Read: Centre Trying to Muscle Our Small State: Uttarakhand CM Rawat

In a post on Facebook, Jaitley said:

The Congress party in the State of Uttarakhand split after a section of the leadership alleged that they were dissatisfied both with the Chief Minister and the central leadership of the Congress party. The split was on account of reasons internal to the Congress party. Nine Members of the Congress party in the Legislative Assembly decided to vote against the Appropriation Bill which provides for the budget of the State.&nbsp;

This is an unprecedented case of a Speaker declaring a failed Appropriation Bill as passed and then failing to certify falsehood. This leaves the State without any approved financial expenditure with effect from 1st April 2016. What better evidence do we need of a breakdown of Constitution? The Congress Government of Uttarakhand was murdering democracy every day from the 18th of March till the 27th of March. It is now incumbent upon the Central Government to ensure that steps are taken under Article 357 to authorise expenditure of the State with effect from 1st April 2016.&nbsp;

<b>Arun Jaitley, Union Finance Minister</b>

Updated at:28th Mar, 2016 at 2:15 PM

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Harish Rawat to Meet Uttarakhand Governor

Harish Rawat, along with other Congress MLAs, will meet Governor KK Paul at Raj Bhawan at 1:15 pm.

President’s rule was imposed in the state on Sunday afternoon.The Cabinet had recommended the imposition of Central rule in the emergency meeting on Saturday night.

Chief Minister of Uttarakhand and Congress member Harish Rawat said that the ruling party at the Centre is trying to attack democracy with money and muscle power.

Updated at:28th Mar, 2016 at 2:15 PM

Also Read: Centre Imposes President’s Rule in Uttarakhand; Rawat Condemns it

Updated at:28th Mar, 2016 at 2:15 PM

Newly Appointed Advisors to Uttarakhand Governor to Assume Office

Former DG of CRPF, Prakash Mishra and former Union Culture Secretary, Ravindra Singh appointed as advisers to Uttarakhand Governor, KK Paul, will be assuming their office on Monday.

Updated at:28th Mar, 2016 at 12:53 PM

Updated at:28th Mar, 2016 at 10:52 AM

Uttarakhand Governor KK Paul chaired the meeting of officials in the state secretariat.

Updated at:28th Mar, 2016 at 1:48 PM

In protest, the Congress top brass has said that they will approach the court against imposing President’s rule in the state.

Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi has reached the Uttarakhand High Court in Nainital.

Abhishek Manu Singhvi reaches the high court in Nainital. (Photo: ANI)

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Harish Rawat has called a meeting of Uttarakhand Congress MLAs.

Updated at:28th Mar, 2016 at 10:52 AM

Under the President’s Rule

On Sunday, the Centre suspended the Congress government in Uttarakhand and imposed President’s rule in the state.

The Congress party opposed that move and accused the Prime Minister and the BJP leadership for “murdering democracy”.

The political crisis began after a sting operation on Chief Minister Harish Rawat was released by rebel Congress MLAs.

Updated at:28th Mar, 2016 at 1:22 PM

Also Read:
Not Looking to Stake Claim, Want Early Polls in Uttarakhand, Says BJP
Is Uttarakhand Political Crisis Heading the Arunachal Pradesh Way?

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Updated at:28th Mar, 2016 at 2:15 PM