New Delhi: Hours after the Supreme court’s verdict on restoring the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh, Nabam Tuki took charge as chief minister of the state at Arunachal Bhavan in Delhi.
“I have taken the charge as Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh. Tomorrow I am going to Itanagar. Immediately after reaching Itanagar, I will convene a meeting of council of ministers. Subsequently, I will also convene a meeting of Congress Legislature Party, My government will devote itself for the welfare of people of Arunachal Pradesh on priority,” Tuki told PTI.
A press statement said Tuki also spoke to the Chief Secretary and DGP regarding the future course of his government.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court ordered restoration of the Congress government in the state by quashing all the Governor’s decisions that had precipitated its fall in January, holding them “violative” of the Constitution.
In a separate judgement concurring with others in the five-judge bench, Justice Madan B Lokur also set aside the order of the Assembly Deputy Speaker who had quashed the Speaker’s decision to disqualify 14 rebel Congress MLAs on December 15 last year.
As of December 15 last year, Congress had 47 MLAs in a House of 60 with BJP 11 and Independents two. Of the 47 Congress MLAs, 14 were disqualified by the Speaker.
Justice Lokur held that the Governor’s order of December 9 as “unconstitutional”.
The landmark unanimous judgement by a five-judge bench set aside among other things Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa’s message directing the advancing of the session and the manner of holding the proceedings of sixth session of the Assembly scheduled from January 14, 2016, to December 16-18, 2015.
The constitution bench, headed by Justice J S Khehar, ordered that status quo ante as prevailed on December 15, 2015 be restored in Arunachal Pradesh Assembly.
Earlier, the Prime Minister deliberated with senior ministers on the Supreme Court order on Arunachal Pradesh and explored the way forward, including a review petition to be filed possibly by Chief Minister Kalikho Pul. Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Rohatgi and top government officials met at the Home Ministry and examined the apex court ruling and its implications, official sources said.
After the hour-long meeting, the ministers drove to 7 Race Course Road, the official residence of the Prime Minister, to discuss with him future course of action. Sources said there is a possibility of filing a review petition in the Supreme Court, challenging the five judge bench order by Pul, whose government has been displaced.
However, the top functionaries are still debating whether the central government will file the petition or by someone from the Kalikho Pul government.
(With inputs from PTI)
