Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday said that the Supreme Court’s historic verdict on Arunachal Pradesh is a clean message to those who wanted to trample upon constitutional propriety and democratic norms.
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Dealing another blow to the union government’s penchant for ousting elected governments by using the state governor’s powers, the Supreme Court today restored its government in Arunachal Pradesh, calling the decisions leading to its dismissal “illegal and unconstitutional”.
The judges held that all steps and decisions taken by Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly in pursuance to the Governor JP Rajkhowa’s order of Dec.9, 2015, are unsustainable.
Asserting that numerical strength was very important in democracy, it said the current Chief Minister Kalikho Pul has the number to run the government and not his predecessor Nabam Tuki, whose government has been revived by the judgement.
The Congress government, led by Tuki, was dismissed after 21 MLAs rebelled against him and the state was brought under President’s rule on January 26.
The bench, led by Justice J.S. Khehar, directed the immediate imposition of status quo ante as on December 15, 2015.
BJP appeared critical of the SC verdict, saying it is a “very odd order” that the leader with majority support is being asked to sit in Opposition, and also wondered if the verdict “weakens” the democratic spirit.
“We have got justice from the Supreme Court, it has today saved this country and its Constitution”, Tuki said today.
Justice Misra said that the conduct of the Governor should not only be impartial but should appear to be perceptibly impartial.
Congress sources said that they are in talks with rebel MLAs to return to the party fold.
Speaker Nabam Rebia said the assembly needs at least 10 to 15 days to summon a session. There is no threat to our government.
“I have taken the charge as chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh”.
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Deputy Speaker T N Thongdok presided over the special session that was attended by 20 rebel Congress MLAs (of the total 42), 11 BJP MLAs and two Independents. It quashed all decisions of governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa that had led to the fall of Nabam Tuki government in the state in January. Later, 14 rebel Congress MLAs were disqualified.
