Rajasthan Guv Greenlights Assembly Session, But Cites 3 Conditions

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot met the Governor at Raj Bhawan with his MLAs on Friday, 24 July.

(Photo: PTI)

After days of impasse over holding of an Assembly session amid the Rajasthan political crisis, state Governor Kalraj Mishra on Monday, 27 July said that not convening the Assembly was never the intention, but asked the state government to deliberate on three aspects, ANI reported.

These include a 21-day notice period before convening the Assembly session amid the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining social distancing norms, and certain conditions to be followed if a confidence motion is moved, the news agency further said.

Earlier, CM Ashok Gehlot's government had proposed that the governor convene the Assembly session from 31 July, but the proposal had no mention of a floor test. The governor then sought a clarification pertaining to whether the CM wanted to move a confidence motion, and considering giving a 21-day notice to MLAs.

Catch all the updates on the Rajasthan crisis here.

Following the rebellion of Sachin Pilot and the hearing in the Rajasthan High Court over the issue of disqualification notices to the rebel MLAs, the crisis in the state – for the last few days – has moved to the governor’s office, with Gehlot camp keen on an Assembly session for a floor test to prove its majority.

However, Gehlot had alleged that the governor is not calling the session because of "pressures from the top". The Congress MLAs from his camp even staged a dharna outside Raj Bhawan on Friday over the issue.

The governor had rejected the government's first proposal for an Assembly session, citing various reasons, including the lack of an agenda and a date.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi on Monday withdrew his plea in the Supreme Court against the HC order asking him to defer his decision on disqualification notices issued to Pilot and 18 other MLAs.