Rajasthan assembly speaker CP Joshi on Wednesday has challenged the High Court’s delay and intervention in context to the disqualification of rebel leader Sachin Pilot and other 18 Congress MLAs. Rajasthan High court has deferred the disqualification of Pilot and his loyalist 18 members till Friday, 5.30 pm.
CP Joshi stated that the move by the HC was a bid by Pilot to circumvent the judiciary and stated, “The Constitution has a well-defined role of a Speaker and I have the complete authority to issue a show-cause notice to Sachin Pilot and other MLAs. The court cannot infringe on the Speaker’s order. I have asked my counsel to file an SLP in Supreme Court.”
Joshi further added, “The Speaker has the right to disqualify MLAs. One must abide by the Constitution. I have adhered to the HC order in toto and I am moving the Supreme Court before a constitutional crisis arises.”
Assembly speaker CP Joshi called the rebel MLAs’ petition a precedent which can lead to constitutional rules breakdown. He also stated that it is well-defined by the Supreme Court that only the speaker can decide on anti-defection. The Speaker had full authority to send a notice which can be judicially reviewed only later, after the Speaker’s decision.
Rajasthan speaker CP Joshi said, “There is a big threat to constitutional democracy if institutions circumvent authority. We have abided by every decision of constitutional authorities. I hope the dignity of the Assembly Speaker is maintained. This is not personal. I hope the decision by the Supreme Court will be a landmark judgment in the matter.”
Last week, Rajasthan assembly speaker CP Joshi has issued a disqualification notice to rebel Congress leader Sachin Pilot and eighteen other Congress MLAs which was challenged in the High Court. Yesterday, Rajasthan High Court has deferred the disqualification of MLAs for three days till Friday.
