Court rejects Centre's plea for adjournment

The Uttarakhand High Court on Wednesday rejected the central government's request to adjourn the hearing in former chief minister Harish Rawat's appeal challenging the Centre's recommendation for imposition of President's Rule in the state. The hearing will continue on Thursday.

A bench of Chief Justice Justice K.M. Joseph and Justice V.K. Bisht cancelled the request of two additional solicitor generals of the Centre contending that the matter should be postponed as Rawat had prepared an absolutely new case.

The bench said: "We are not going to stay it. If you wish to file a reply then do so by the day or tomorrow (Thursday)."

The bench assured the legal officers that it will not consider the plea for adjournment till the Centre filed its reply. However, it clarified that the hearing will continue on Thursday.

Congress leader and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the ousted Rawat, opposed the Centre's bid to get the matter adjourned on the ground of filing its response on the issue of appropriation bill.