Uttarakhand crisis: HC declines Centre's plea to adjourn petition on President rule

Dehradun: The Nainital High Court on Wednesday declined the Centre's plea seeking more time to argue Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat's plea against the President's rule in the state. However, the court assured the Centre that no orders would be passed today without hearing the Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi. The Centre also sought an adjournment in this affidavit so that they can study it and formulate their response. The Congress Party had on Friday filed a petition before the Uttarakhand High Court challenging the Centre's appropriation ordinance for the state. A two-judge of the Nainital bench of the High Court had on Wednesday stayed the floor test for the Harish Rawat Government in the Uttarakhand Assembly, which was scheduled for March 31 and decided to take up the matter on April 6. The crisis in the hill state erupted on March 18 when nine Congress MLAs rebelled against the Rawat government, resulting in a flip-flop in the passage of the Appropriation Bill. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) met Governor K.K. Paul on the same day and staked claim to form the government. However, the Centre imposed President's Rule last Sunday, a day before Rawat was supposed to take the floor test in the assembly.