THE RAJASTHAN High Court on Friday sought the entire record related to the resignation of 81 Congress MLAs last September and pulled up the legislators saying their actions “promote horse-trading”. Hearing a petition filed by Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore, a Bench of Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Shubha Mehta sought the original letters of resignation of the MLAs, the process adopted in connection with the letters, the applications by MLAs for withdrawal of the letters, and the cancellation of the letters by Speaker C P Joshi. The court sought the relevant documents by January 30, the next date of hearing for the case. As per an affidavit submitted to the High Court on January 16, Assembly Secretary Mahaveer Prasad Sharma said, “Letters of resignations of 81 MLAs, out of which five were photocopies, were received by the Hon’ble Speaker which were presented by six MLAs. The petitioner is not correct in contending that there were 91 resignations.” Arguing the case himself, Rathore said Friday that the affidavit submitted to the High Court by the Assembly Secretary had insufficient information and sought the relevant documents to be brought on record. In his prayer, Rathore said earlier it was being said that 91 MLAs had resigned, but subsequently, it was informed that 81 MLAs had submitted resignation letters. “Which MLAs resigned, what were the Speaker’s remarks on these resignations, and whether an inquiry into the 110-day-old resignation letters was conducted under directions of the Speaker, and what the result of such an inquiry was, and whether the Speaker passed an order on the same, all this should be brought on record,” Rathore said. Advocate General M S Singhvi said that as per rules, there is a provision to withdraw the resignations. And since the MLAs withdrew their resignation, their letters were rejected.
