Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat, on Thursday, hailed the high court decision to quash President’s Rule in the State as a victory for the people.
“Uttarakhand has got justice,” Mr. Rawat told the media shortly after the Uttarakhand High Court gave a ruling that is widely seen as a huge embarrassment to the Narendra Modi government.
“We welcome the high court decision. This is a victory for the people of Uttarakhand,” Rawat said, and urged the central government to stick to its stated policy of “cooperative federalism.”
After two consecutive days of hearing on a matter filed by Mr. Rawat, the court ruled that the proclamation of Central rule in the State on March 27 stood null and void.
“Let us resume with a spirit of cooperation. I urge all my colleagues to forgive and forget.”
Our Correspondent Kavita Upadhyay reports:
The Division Bench of the High Court also ordered that a floor test must be held in the Uttarakhand Assembly on April 29 where former Chief Minister Harish Rawat’s claim of having majority support shall be put to test.
.The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice K.M. Joseph and Justice V.K. Bisht had decided to reserve the verdict for later, but taking the apprehensions of Mr. Rawat’s counsel into consideration where it was being feared that the Central Government might revoke President’s Rule and try and get the BJP to form government in the State before the Court’s final verdict in the case, the Bench took the decisions on quashing Presidential Proclamation on Thursday itself.
Prior to the judgment, the Bench slammed the Centre for planning to attempt the revocation of President’s Rule before the Court’s verdict. > Continue reading
