Uttarakhand HC dismisses plea of 9 rebel Cong MLAs over disqualification

HC implies these rebel Congress MLAs will not be able to vote in the floor test in the Uttarakhand Assembly tomorrow.

 

The high court had on Saturday reserved its judgement for today.

The order was passed by Justice UC Dhyani, who had heard arguments of both sides on Saturday.

The Supreme Court had on Friday ordered floor test in Uttarakhand Assembly on May 10,

If these MLAs would were allowed to vote, it could have aggravated the problem of former chief minister Harish Rawat who has been asked to prove majority in the 70-member Assembly may be sealed.

The apex court directed that the nine rebel Congress MLAs, who have challenged their disqualification by the Speaker in the High Court, will not participate in the floor test "if they have the same status" at the time of vote of confidence.

With the top court order, the effective strength of the House will be reduced from 70 to 61 in which any party mustering the support of 31 MLAs will have the majority.

The rebel Congress MLAs had sided with BJP to demand a division of votes on the Appropriation Bill in the state Assembly.

Uttarakhand was plunged into political uncertainty after nine Congress legislators, including former chief minister Vijay Bahuguna, whom Harish Rawat replaced, revolted and turned to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The crisis peaked on March 18 when the assembly passed the Appropriation Bill by voice vote even as the opposition sought recorded voting. Speaker Govind Kunjwal declined the request, leading the BJP to cry foul.

Rawat was then asked by Governor KK Paul to prove his majority on March 28 but a day before that the central government ousted his government by imposing President's Rule. Rawat immediately went to court.

The Uttarakhand High Court by its April 21 verdict had quashed the President's Rule.