The Uttarakhand High Court on Friday adjourned for three weeks the hearing on a PIL against deposed chief minister Harish Rawat seeking filing of a criminal case on the basis of a sting video which allegedly showed him offering bribe to win back rebel Congress MLAs.
Deferring the hearing, a division bench comprising Chief Justice KM Joseph and Justice VK Bisht questioned the intention behind the PIL as it was filed by a Delhi resident.
One Manan Sharma, a resident of Delhi, had filed the petition on Thursday through his lawyer Ajay Vir Pundir. It was listed for Friday.
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The petition seeks direction for registering a criminal case against Rawat on the basis of the sting video which purportedly shows him indulging in horsetrading by offering a hefty sum to Congress MLAs, who have revolted against his government.
The sting operation on Rawat which had deepened the political crisis in Uttarakhand is considered one of the factors which led to the imposition of President’s rule in the state.
In another development, the Congress moved the Uttarakhand High Court challenging a central ordinance authorising expenditure in the state, which is under President’s rule, as the party has contended that the Assembly had duly passed the Appropriation Bill on March 18.
{{/usCountry}}In another development, the Congress moved the Uttarakhand High Court challenging a central ordinance authorising expenditure in the state, which is under President’s rule, as the party has contended that the Assembly had duly passed the Appropriation Bill on March 18.
{{/usCountry}}A writ petition challenging promulgation of the ordinance was mentioned by senior Supreme Court lawyer and former Union minister Kapil Sibal before the division bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice KM Joseph and Justice VK Bisht and the hearing was underway.
The Uttarakhand Appropriation (vote on account) Ordinance, 2016 was promulgated by the President on Thursday.
The ordinance is to provide for withdrawal of certain sums from and out of the Consolidated Fund of the State of Uttarakhand for the services of a part of the financial year 2016-17, it said.
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