Uttarakhand: Cong to take legal recourse for allowing 9 MLAs to vote in floor test?

Dehradun: Pointing out that separately counting or allowing the nine rebel Congress MLAs to vote is an error, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Wednesday said the party might take legal recourse in the matter.

"Separately counting or allowing the nine MLAs to vote is an error and we may take legal recourse. The rest of the order is recognition of the Central Government's methodology to try and short circuit the floor test, the vote of confidence and the Speaker's adjudication," said Singhvi.

Read: Uttarakhand crisis: BJP has strangulated democracy, says ally Shiv Sena

Singhvi further stated that as the President's rule in Uttarakhand was not accepted at all prima facie in the interim order of the court, it was virtually a legal slap on the face of the Central Government.

"However, both sides of legal records ultimate word will come from the division bench. The more ultimate word will come from the Supreme Court. So, we are consciously subjudiced, but we will all stake our respective stands," he added.

In a jolt to the Centre, the Uttarakhand High Court yesterday ordered a floor test in the Assembly on March 31, giving a new turn to the political developments two days after President's Rule was imposed in the state.

Read: Uttarakhand crisis: HC orders floor test on March 31, rebel MLAs to participate

All MLAs, including the nine ruling Congress rebels, can participate in the trial of strength but the votes of the disqualified legislators will be kept separate, the court ruled.

The Centre reacted strongly to the court's order on floor test in assembly and said no court can stay President's Rule as an interim measure.

Read: Uttarakhand crisis: Supreme Court to take call on CBI probe

Stating that no court can order floor test while President's rule is in force in a state, the Centre announced to challenge the single-bench decision in a division bench of the High Court.

Welcoming the decision, former chief minister Harish Rawat said it was a lesson for those who want to destabilize the government.

Read: Uttarakhand HC order for floor test a ‘tremendous setback’ to Centre: Harish Rawat

Rawat, who had challenged dismissal of his government in Uttarakhand, said the High Court order for floor test was a ‘tremendous setback’ to the Centre and expressed confidence that it will deter the Modi government from ‘destabilising’ the Congress-ruled state governments.

Read: Centre cuts short Budget session in view of Uttarakhand political crisis

"Congress and our government have full respect for the judiciary. We still do not have the full judgement of the High Court but the part of the order available shows that the court holds the Centre's decision wrong," he told reporters.