Modi should learn from Arunachal verdict: Mayawati

Acting Arunachal Pradesh governor Tathagata Roy on Thursday asked Nabam Tuki to prove his majority in the state assembly by Saturday after informing him that he stands reinstated as the chief minister.

Informing this, a statement issued through e-mail by media cell of the Arunachal Pradesh CM’s office said that Tuki resumed his duties “in compliance with the order of the Supreme Court”.

Seven months after it was laid-off from Arunachal Pradesh, the Congress is back in charge in the state after the Supreme Court on Wednesday turned back called its dismissal “illegal and unconstitutional”. “I was invited to form the government after I had paraded 32 MLAs before the governor in February”, Pul said in the sidelines of the NEDA conclave on Wednesday.

It is the second such ruling by the Supreme Court since May when it similarly restored the ousted government of Chief Minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat in Uttarakhand. Though Tuki has officially taken charge of the government, he might find it hard to sustain it beacuse of lack of numbers.

In a blow to the NDA government, a Constitution Bench of the SC unanimously quashed all decisions of Arunachal Governor J.P. Rajkhowa that had led to the President’s rule in the northeastern State.

Stating the governor’s direction on conducting assembly proceedings is un constitutional, the apex court set aside all steps and decision taken by the legislative assembly pursuant to the governor’s December 9th past year order and said they are unsustainable.

The 60-member assembly now has an effective strength of 58 after two Congress members – Gabriel Denang Wangshu and Wanglam Sawin resigned under mysterious circumstances. The government responded by disqualifying 14 rebel MLAs causing a turmoil following which the state was placed under President’s Rule on January 26.

Pul, leader of dissident Congress MLAs, had formed government in the state with the support of BJP MLAs.

Sharma, who maintained that he was not commenting on the verdict and the party will study it before coming up with a structured response, claimed that the numbers in the Arunachal Pradesh assembly were with Pul and not Tuki, the dismissed Congress chief minister.

Congress leader and eminent lawyer Kapil Sibal who appeared for his party said: “This is historic”.