New Delhi: Former Arunachal Chief Minister Nabam Tuki on Thursday filed a fresh petition in the Supreme Court challenging imposition of president’s rule in the state.
Earlier, the apex court issued notices to the Centre and the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh (J.P. Rajkhowa), seeking their responses to a Congress Party challenge of the Centre’s decision to impose president’s rule in the state.
Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa had cited a “cow slaughter” protest as a sign of the complete collapse of law and order to justify the imposition of President’s rule in the state.
The Governor also attached photographs of a “cow” — a Mithun — being slaughtered outside Raj Bhavan as a material justifying the proclamation of emergency, reports The Indian Express.
On Wednesday the Supreme Court issued notice to the central government and Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa on a plea challenging the imposition of President’s Rule in the north-eastern state on January 26.
An apex court constitution bench of Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar, Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Madan B. Lokur, Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh and Justice N.V. Ramana had also ordered the centre to file its response, if any, by January 29 and directed further hearing in the matter on Monday (February 1).
The court recorded that senior counsel Satya Pal Jain, appearing for Governor Rajkhowa, “undertakes to furnish a copy of the governor’s report and other material recommending issuance of a proclamation under Article 356 of the Constitution of India, to the court in a sealed cover”.
The court had directed that the “original record be kept available by the attorney general during the hearing”.
The court gave liberty to the petitioner, Congress chief whip in Arunachal Pradesh Rajesh Tacho, to amend the plea to “assail the report of the governor, and the consequential (presidential) proclamation”.
The court directed that Tacho be provided, during the course of the day, the date on which Rajkhowa sent a report recommending the imposition of President’s Rule.
(Agencies)
