This Article is From Apr 21, 2016

Lifting President's Rule, Uttarakhand Judges Talk Of 'Hearts Of Citizens'

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All India Edited by

President's Rule was imposed in Uttarakhand in March, a day before Chief Minister Harish Rawat was due to present his majority.

Highlights

  • 'However high you are, law is above you', Court told Centre
  • One instance cannot topple a democratically-elected govt: Court
  • High Court set aside President’s Rule in Uttarakhand today
Uttarakhand should not have been placed under President's rule, the state's top court decided today, ordering that Harish Rawat return as Chief Minister to take a trust vote on April 29. Like in earlier hearings, the judges of the Uttarakhand High Court reproached the Centre today for removing Mr Rawat on grounds that they said are invalid.

Here are five big quotes from judges in hearings including todays:

  1. President's Rule "should be used as a matter of last resort" and the removal of "a democratically elected government breeds cynicism in the heart of citizens," said judges today.

  2. Earlier this week, they said the "root of the matter is you (Centre) are cutting at the root of democracy." This comment was based on the union government claiming that Mr Rawat cannot legitimately remain in office because nine Congressmen voted against him when he presented the state's budget.

  3. "There is no king or absolutism. Howsoever high you are, the law is above you," the judges said when the Centre argued that courts cannot review a decision taken by the executive and okayed by President Pranab Mukherjee.

  4. "Even the president can be terribly wrong," they remarked while stating they do not doubt his wisdom, but he may not have been presented with the same material that was gathered for their scrutiny.

  5. "What was the hurry," the judges asked questioning the Centre's decision in laying down President's Rule in March just a day before Mr Rawat was scheduled to take a trust vote.

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