Take floor test on March 31, court tells Rawat

Dehradun: The Uttarakhand High Court on Tuesday directed ousted chief minister Harish Rawat to take a floor test in the assembly on March 31 to prove his legislative majority.

The state came under President's Rule two days back, a day before Rawat was to prove his majority in the house on Monday.

Hearing a petition by Rawat, the court also said that all nine Congress rebels who were disqualified by the speaker will be allowed to take part in the vote.

It said the result of the voting should be presented to the court on April 1.

Congress spokesperson and advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the ruling followed two days of extensive arguments.

"The high court accepts the point that despite President's Rule there is enough scope for judicial review to allow a floor test to take place," he told the media, "This was asked by us."

"Mere horse trading allegations will not justify President's Rule and stop floor test," he added.

He said the court has implemented what the governor had said thrice and what the chief minister has said twice.

Singhvi said the court has allowed the disqualified Congress legislators to take part in the voting but their vote would be taken into consideration separately.