Arunachal Pradesh: President Rule to be challanged in Supreme Court

The Congress, which was governing Arunachal Pradesh, has called the decision to impose Central rule “murder of democracy on Republic Day.”

On Tuesday, President Pranab Mukherjee signed off on central rule for the northeastern border state, indicating that he agreed with the government’s assessment of the state’s political crisis.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh had met the President on Monday to explain why the government had recommended central rule.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, the Home Ministry said there had been a constitutional breakdown in Arunachal Pradesh.

The Congress has alleged that the Centre is determined to destabilize state governments that are not led by the BJP or its allies.

Arunachal Pradesh plunged into a political crisis in December when nearly half of the Congress’ state lawmakers rebelled to team up with the BJP and voted to remove the Speaker and Chief Minister Nabam Tuki at an assembly session called by Governor JP Rajkhowa.

The lawmakers met at a community hall because the state assembly had been locked up on the Speaker’s order. The Congress has accused the Governor of acting as “a BJP agent” by calling a session to help the rebels.

The Congress has, in the Gauhati High Court, said that the assembly session called by the Governor in December amounts to a violation of the constitution because Chief Minister Tuki and his cabinet were not consulted.

On a petition by the Speaker, the High Court first suspended decisions taken at the rebels’ session. Eventually the court dismissed the petition, prompting the Speaker to move the Supreme Court.

However, the Centre counters that law and order in the state had deteriorated, an assembly session had not been held for six months, and that state legislators were denied access to the Assembly because the Speaker had the building locked up.

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Source:Ndtv