Floor test is best way to prove majority by the ruling party

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Published on: 6 May 2016 1:00 PM GMT
Floor test is best way to prove majority by the ruling party
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Dehradun: The Supreme Court on Friday asked for floor test in Uttarakhand to prove majority which may lead to lifting of President’s rule in the state, causing a big setback to the Centre. Coming, as it does, in the wake of a similar decision in other cases the Court has made it clear, as a day light, that floor test, monitored by its observer, is the only way to prove majority by a ruling party.

Since the ruling Congress was opposing the rule on the ground that it was imposed by the Center inspite of majority by the party in the assembly supporters of Harish Rawat who was ruling the state came out immediately after the court’s order to claim that he had support of 34 members in the house which is enough to win the test.

The Uttarakhand assembly has strength of 71 members out of which 36 belonged to the Congress. This is four more than the number required to prove the majority. Nine members of the party had rebelled and could cause some discomfort to it but the Court has debarred them from voting. The Rawat supporters have, therefore, reasons to be happy.

Although the rival BJP which is the second largest group has got a drubbing in view of the order for the rebels, it still hopes that it will unseat Rawat. But it does have the number. The party has 28 members out of which one has been suspended, reducing its strength to 27. Seven other members including independents have been supporting the Congress. May be, the BJP is hoping to win over some of them to end the Congress rule.

In any case Uttarakhand is the state to keep a watch on. Also because it is the third state where President’s rule was imposed, after Arunachal and Jammu and Kashmi, by the Modi government. The other two have not displeased the government at the Centre.

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