Rajasthan Crisis: SC To Hear Speaker’s Appeal Against HC Order On Monday

By OB Bureau On Jul 25, 2020

New Delhi: A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court will hear Rajasthan speaker CP Joshi’s appeal against a high court order, staying disqualification proceedings against Sachin Pilot-led 19 Congress legislators, at 11 am on Monday.

The apex court’s case list was released on Saturday evening.

Joshi had moved the Supreme Court earlier, complaining that the state court had no jurisdiction to ask him to defer disqualification proceedings. He had described the high court order “illegal, perverse, and in derogation of the powers of the Speaker” in his petition.

But the top court then refused to accept the Speaker’s petition, pointing that the two high court judges had already reserved their order to be pronounced on Friday.

Monday’s hearing is Joshi’s second attempt to get the HC stay order cancelled.

This legal battle is a sub-plot in the continuing political war between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Pilot, who has rebelled against him.

Pilot and 18 others have challenged notices issued to them by speaker Joshi on complaints from the Congress demanding disqualification of all 19 MLAs from the assembly under the anti-defection law for their rebellion.

Pilot had moved the high court against the notice, which stayed the speaker’s proceedings.

The high court didn’t deliver a ruling on Friday, and admitted Pilot’s petition against the disqualification notices.

Pilot has moved a caveat in Supreme Court asking it to ensure no order is passed on Joshi’s petition without hearing him and the other MLAs.

Pilot has claimed the 19-month Congress government in Rajasthan is in minority as he has the support of 30 MLAs.

The Gehlot government has not been able to convince Governor Kalraj Mishra to convene the assembly so that he can prove his majority on the floor.

Also Read: Rajasthan HC Orders Status Quo On Disqualification Of Sachin Pilot, 18 MLAs

Also Read: Rajasthan Crisis: Congress Sacks Sachin Pilot From Deputy CM, Party Chief Posts