Centre tells SC no case for plea on dissolution

On a day when the NDA paraded its Bihar flock before President A P J Abdul Kalam, the UPA Government argued in the Supreme Court that no cas...

On a day when the NDA paraded its Bihar flock before President A P J Abdul Kalam, the UPA Government argued in the Supreme Court that no case could be made out for entertaining the petition filed by some Bihar MLAs challenging the Assembly dissolution.

On hearing this, a bench of Justices P V Reddi and Arijit Pasayat asked the Centre to file an affidavit substantiating its stand within two weeks. But it declined to issue any notice on the petition.

The court said the petitioners will have to file their reply within a week after the affidavit is filed and posted the matter for hearing when the court reopens after summer vacation.

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Meanwhile, the Centre’s counsel today handed over to the court confidential reports sent by Bihar Governor Buta Singh recommending the Assembly be dissolved.

But petitioner’s counsel Mukul Rohtagi said a strong case was made out for entertaining the petition. He referred to the “haste” with which the Centre had recommended the dissolution and said this was done to prevent any alternative grouping under Nitish Kumar from securing a majority.

The petitioners said fresh polls should have been the last resort, adding “sound principles were thrown to winds and the Assembly was dissolved by political manoeuvres”.

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