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Arunachal crisis timeline: Kalikho Pul’s expulsion to restoration of Cong govt
The Supreme Court on Wednesday pronounced its verdict on petitions dealing with discretionary powers of the Governor to summon or advance the assembly sessions in Arunachal Pradesh. It ordered the restoration of the Congress government in the state.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday pronounced its verdict on petitions dealing with discretionary powers of the Governor to summon or advance the assembly sessions in Arunachal Pradesh. It ordered the restoration of the Congress government in the state.
The twists and turns in the state’s political crisis started with the expulsion of a minister and ended on Wednesday with the Supreme Court’s decision.
Read | Supreme Court restores Congress govt in Arunachal Pradesh
Here is a timeline of the case
December 24, 2014: Health and family welfare minister Kalikho Pul dropped from ministry after he alleges fiscal mismanagement in Arunachal Pradesh
April 2, 2015: State Congress expels Pul for alleged anti-party activities
May 18, 2015: Local court in Itanagar stays Pul’s expulsion
September 16, 2015: Chief minister Tuki invites his MLAs to dinner and makes them sign ‘irrevocable resignation letters’ in the wake of dissidence
October 6, 2015: Two MLAs who attended dinner ‘quit’ but ask speaker Nabam Rebia to treat ‘resignation letter as invalid’ as they were forced to sign
November 8, 2015: Led by Pul, 21 Congress MLAs issue statement against “autocratic” Tuki and denounce his “legitimacy as leader of CLP”
November 19, 2015: State BJP adopts resolution for removal of Rebia as speaker
December 10, 2015: Governor JP Rajkhowa issues order advancing the assembly session from January 14-16 to December 16-18
December 15, 2015: Rebia issues notice disqualifying 14 of the 21 rebel Congress MLAs
December 16, 2015: Government locks assembly building but deputy speaker TN Thongdok holds session in community hall for 33 MLAs, including 11 of BJP and two independents, to impeach Rebia as pro-Tuki groups disrupt normal life
December 17, 2015: Rebels hold assembly in hotel after community hall is razed, vote against Tuki; elect Pul as ‘CM’; Rebia moves HC to keep assembly and related developments in abeyance
January 5, 2016: HC stays disqualification of 14 Congress MLAs
January 13, 2016: HC rules in favour of dissidents, vacating order that kept December 16-18 assembly session in abeyance
January 13, 2016: SC stays convening of assembly session till January 18.
January 14, 2016: SC refers all the petitions to a Constitution bench
January 15, 2016: SC starts examining the constitutional position on the scope of discretionary powers of Governor and other related issues
January 24, 2016: Union cabinet recommends imposition of President’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh
January 25, 2016: Congress moves SC against the NDA government’s move
January 26, 2016: President Pranab Mukherjee accepts the cabinet’s recommendation
January 27, 2016: SC issues notice to Centre, Governor on Congress’ petition; hearing on Feb 1
February 17, 2016: Union Cabinet decides to recommend revocation of Prez Rule; but SC order status quo
February 18, 2016: SC clears decks for formation of new government by vacating the status quo order.
February 22, 2016: SC reserves orders against a Gauhati high court verdict that upheld the discretionary powers of governor to summon or advance a sitting of the assembly.
July 13, 2016: The Supreme Court orders the restoration of the Congress government, scrapping all decisions by the governor that precipitated the fall of the previous administration
