No Floor Test in Uttarakhand Assembly on 29 April

Floor test in Uttarakhand will be put on hold till the next Supreme Court hearing.

The floor test in the Uttarakhand Assembly has been put on hold by the Supreme Court until the next hearing in the case against the quashing of President’s rule in the state. The next SC hearing in the case will be held on 3 May. The floor test was scheduled to be on 29 April.

The SC is hearing a case challenging the Uttarakhand High Court’s order which set aside the President’s rule in the state on 21 April.

The Supreme Court has fixed the date, so we will have to abide by it. I have no comments to make. But i would like to point out two things that were printed in the papers. The way BJP is threatening, is condemnable. I volunteer for an investigation of my property between 2014 and 2016 and beyond it as well. They can call for a CBI enquiry as well.

Harish Rawat, Former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand

The hearing has been extended even though the apex court questioned the Centre’s decision to impose President’s rule in the state.

The apex court has framed seven questions pertaining to President’s rule and sought response from the government.

• Whether a sting can be taken as a ground for President rule.
  
• Whether Governor can ask Speaker for division of votes as both are constitutional authorities.
  
• Convention is if money bill fails, government goes. But who is to say money bill hasn’t been passed if Speaker doesn’t say so?
  
• Can a delay in the floor test be ground for proclamation of President rule in state?
  
• What is the stage of appropriation bill when President’s rule comes in the picture with regards to Appropriation bill?
  
• Is disqualification of MLAs by the Speaker a relevant issue for the purpose of imposing President’s rule under Article 356?
• Could the Governor have sent message in present manner under Article175 (2) to conduct floor test?

During the hearing of Centre’s plea, SC pointed out that Uttarakhand Chief Secretary has nothing to do with the present case.

The floor test has been postponed multiple times since the imposition of President’s rule in the state on 27 March.

Due to the Congress members’ protests against government action in Uttarakhand, the Rajya Sabha was stalled for the first two days of the second part of the budget session.

Also read: Uttarakhand Row: The Sordid Tale of a Govt’s ‘Constitutional Sin’