Last week, the Supreme Court asked for Governor JP Rajkhowa's report and said its judges would decide if the document could be given to the Congress.
The reports in which he recommended President's rule do not have to be shared by the Arunachal Pradesh Governor, the Supreme Court said today, cancelling its earlier request for a copy of the documents.
The court accepted the Centre's argument that Governor JP Rajkhowa enjoys constitutional immunity.
The Congress, which has been governing Arunachal Pradesh, has taken the Centre to court accusing it of unjustifiably calling for central rule. The Congress says its Chief Minister Nabam Tuki has not lost his majority, and that the BJP has worked to destabilize his government. The centre says that a slew of factors including deteriorating law and order and the fact that the state's legislators had not met for over six months proves that the state is in crisis and needs the centre's intervention.
Last week, the Supreme Court asked for the Governor's report and said its judges would decide if the document could be given to the Congress. The government has said it must be treated as confidential.
The Supreme Court today also directed the Centre to hand over copies of all files, hard drives and documents seized from the office of the chief minister and other ministers after central rule was enforced. It has reportedly also ordered that all "personal" documents be given back by the Centre.
The Congress has claimed that these documents could help them prove the Governor's "bias" against the state government. The Centre had initially objected to this demand saying this was not part of Congress' plea. But while asking the Centre to furnish the documents, the court today observed, "If you are in a fight and the other side has a sword, will you not ask for sword? We are talking about fairness."
For months, Chief Minister Tuki battled rebellion from within his own party till nearly half of the Congress legislators teamed with the BJP to demand his removal, as also that of the Speaker of the House. In December, they met at a hotel and a community centre at a session endorsed by the Governor, who said the assembly building had been locked up to prevent an assembly session.
The Congress says that session cannot be held as valid because the Chief Minister and his cabinet were not consulted by the Governor.
Arunachal Pradesh is one of nine states governed by the Congress.
Chief Minister Tuki was re-elected for a second term in 2014.