A judge had yesterday said that the court cannot be a 'mute spectator to the slaughter of democracy' in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Arunachal Pradesh political crisis is proving to be fertile ground for scathing remarks from the Supreme Court, which is deciding whether the Centre was correct in placing the state under President's Rule.
"Can the Governor, when feeling bored, call the assembly (session) to feel some excitement?" asked an acerbic judge today.
He was referring to a meeting of legislators endorsed by Governor JP Rajkohwa in December. The session was held between a community hall and a hotel and convened opposition legislators and nearly half of the Congress' elected representatives, suggesting a split in the ruling party headed by Chief Minister Nabam Tuki.
Together, they asked for the Chief Minister and Speaker to be dismissed.
The Congress says that session has no legitimacy. The Centre and the Governor say it was necessary and valid because the assembly had not met for over six months, as required by the constitution, and because the state legislature had been locked up to prevent those against the Chief Minister from convening.
Yesterday, when it was suggested in court that the Governor has constitutional immunity and is not answerable to judges for decisions made by his office, a judge said the court cannot be a "mute spectator to the slaughter of democracy".
However, earlier this week, the Supreme Court accepted that it does not have the right to ask the Governor to share the report that he sent to the Centre recommending central rule for his state.
The Congress has said in court that its government has been unjustifiably pushed out by the BJP, which is determined to undermine opposition governments.