President's Rule imposed in Uttarakhand

Capping a nine-day high-voltage political drama, the Centre on Sunday brought Uttarakhand under President’s rule citing a Constitutional breakdown in the wake of a rebellion in the ruling Congress, which slammed the decision calling it a “murder of democracy” and a “black” day.

President Pranab Mukherjee signed the proclamation under Art 356 of the Constitution dismissing the Congress government headed by Harish Rawat and placing the Assembly under suspended animation this morning on the recommendation of the Union Cabinet.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to let his “love of power overrule the people’s mandate”, but the Centre said that continuance of the Rawat government was “immoral and unconstitutional” after March 18 when Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal declared the Appropriation Bill “passed” in controversial circumstances without allowing a division sought by 35 MLAs, including nine rebel MLAs of the Congress.

The Centre later appointed former CRPF director-general Prakash Mishra and former Union culture secretary Ravindra Singh as advisers to aid Uttarakhand



governor K.K. Paul run the administration.

Condemning the imposition of President’s Rule in the state, Mr Harish Rawat said the PM’s hands were dipped in the “blood” of the “trampled” aspirations of the people and alleged Central rule was the result of a “premeditated conspiracy” hatched by the Centre to dislodge a democratically-elected Congress government in the state.

Referring to the March 18 Assembly proceedings, Mr Jaitley said that in the 71-member Assembly, 67 members, excluding the Speaker, were present, out of whom 35 wanted a division of votes on the Appropriation Bill. The division was sought in writing in advance by 35 members who also voted against the bill, despite which the Speaker declared the legislation as passed, he said.

The finance minister said that governor K.K. Paul had also said he had “serious doubts” over what happened in the Assembly on March 18 and said his report had been a key factor in the Cabinet’s decision.

The Appropriations Bill empowers the government to draw funds for expenses from April 1 and if it is defeated on the floor of the House, the government has to resign.