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High Court axes President's Rule in Uttarakhand

Dehradun, April 21 

In a major blow to the central government, the Uttarakhand High Court on Thursday set aside President's Rule imposed in the hill state last month.

After two consecutive days of hearing on a matter filed by ousted Congress chief minister Harish Rawat, the court said the proclamation of central rule in the state stood null and void.

The court said central rule should be clamped in a state as a last resort, suggesting this did not happen in Uttarakhand. It fixed April 29 for a floor test in the state assembly.

The ruling triggered noisy celebrations outside Rawat's residence by Congress leaders and activists who shouted slogans against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 

Congress leader and former Uttarakhand finance minister Indira Hridayesh said her party "saluted the judiciary for upholding truth and law". 

"It is a victory for democracy," the Congress said. 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also hailed the court decision.

"This is a huge embarrassment to the (Narendra) Modi government. He should stop interfering with elected governments and respect democracy," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader tweeted.

President's Rule was imposed in Uttarakhand on March 27 after nine Congress legislators defected, depriving majority support in the assembly to the Rawat government.

Swamy slams Attorney General for Uttarakhand fiasco


 BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Thursday slammed Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi and Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar after the Uttarakhand High Court axed the President's Rule in the state.

"Time to get a new Attorney General (AG) and Solicitor General (SG) for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government," Swamy tweeted.

"With a new AG and SG we can win the Uttarakhand case. We had kept these two out of Arunachal and won." 

This is victory for Uttarakhand: Rawat


 The Uttarakhand High Court decision to axe President's Rule in the state is a victory for its people, ousted chief minister Harish Rawat said on Thursday.

"We welcome the high court decision. This is a victory for the people of Uttarakhand," Rawat told the media here. People of Uttarakhand have a right to govern themselves." 

The Congress leader also thanked all the party legislators who stood by him during the political crisis.