‘Guv’s act tainted, unworthy of constitutional head’

The Gauhati high court has come down heavily on Arunachal Pradesh Governor JP Rajkhowa, saying he is required to perform his duty with the aid of the Council of Ministers but his action of advancing the Assembly session on the demand of Opposition MLAs “taints” the decision and renders it “unworthy of the state’s constitutional head”.

Justice Hrishikesh Roy, who heard a writ petition filed by “ousted” Speaker Nabam Rebia against the notification of the Governor pre-poning the Assembly “session”, observed that the Governor’s decision “reflects the non-neutral role of the constitutional head and this is undermining the democratic process”. “The Governor, while summoning the House of the State Legislature, is required to perform his duty with the aid of the Council of Ministers and the CM in consultation with the Speaker is made competent to advice the Governor, for summoning the Assembly, under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Arunachal Legislative Assembly,” he had said.