Acting Governor of Arunachal Pradesh Tathagata Roy has asked Chief Minister Nabam Tuki to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly by July 16. Mr Tuki however, said the order would be difficult to implement as the time was too short.
The Governor’s directive came a day after the Supreme Court, in a historic verdict on Wednesday, restored Mr Tuki as Chief Minister, a position he lost last December when Congress rebels, backed by the BJP, staged a coup.
Mr Tuki, who returned to Itanagar and attended office on Thursday, told the media that he would request the acting Governor to defer the proposed floor test.
Inclement weather
Speaker Nabam Rebia, who also attended office, said the Assembly needed at least 10 to 15 days to summon a session. “I have received the Governor's order asking the State Government to go for a floor test on July 16, which is practically impossible [given] the uneven topography and inclement weather besides communication bottlenecks in the State,” the Speaker.
A statement from the Arunachal Pradesh Governor said the floor test proceedings would follow the principles laid down by the May 6 order of the Supreme Court regarding President’s rule in Uttarakhand.
“The Governor has further desired that to ensure that the proceedings of the legislative Assembly may take place peacefully and otherwise appropriately, the same shall be videographed throughout and the majority as aforesaid proved by Division and not by Voice Vote,” it continued.
Congress cautious on floor test announcement
The Congress, that had celebrated the Supreme Court’s verdict on Wednesday, restoring ousted Arunachal Chief Minister Nabam Tuki, hailing it as a victory for democracy and the Constitution, did not appear entirely confident of winning the vote of confidence.
Hours after the apex court verdict, Mr Tuki assumed charge as Chief Minister, in place of Kalikho Pul, at Arunachal Bhavan in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Following the acting Governor’s announcement on Thursday of a floor test on July 16, party general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad responded cautiously to questions on the subject. “It’s for the Chief Minister to muster support,” he said, indicating that the party had already won a moral victory:
“Democracy has won. What they (BJP) did was wrong, they misused the Governor and we are opposed to the undemocratic manner in which assembly sessions were being held in restaurants and bars,” he said.
