SC dismisses PIL questioning president's rule in Uttarakhand

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought to challenge the continuance of President's Rule in Uttarakhand.

The PIL, filed by advocate M.L. Sharma, sought a CBI probe into the alleged horse trading of MLAs in the state before the dismal of the Congress government led by then chief minister Harish Rawat.

Dismissing the plea, Chief Justice T.S Thakur questioned the locus standi of Sharma.

The apex court bench also asked Sharma as to how he was affected by President's Rule in Uttarakhand and warned him that his credibility is at stake if he continues to file such types of PILs.

Seeking the quashing of the presidential proclamation, Sharma had questioned how the council of ministers could recommend the imposition of president's rule when the state's Governor, K.K. Paul, had already directed then chief minister Harish Rawat to go for a floor test on March 28.

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 a day before Rawat was supposed to take the floor test in the assembly.