Uttarakhand crisis: Centre to clear stand on holding 'floor test' before Supreme Court today

New Delhi: The Centre will on Friday clear its stand on holding a floor test in the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly as suggested by the Supreme Court in the previous hearing.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court had granted Centre time till May 6 to appraise it about the feasibility of holding floor test in the Uttarakhand Assembly to resolve the political crisis in the state.

The central government Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that its suggestion to explore feasibility of holding a floor test in Uttarakhand Assembly under the court’s supervision was under serious consideration and that a decision will be taken on it by Friday.

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and and Shiva Kirti Singh accepted the plea of the Centre that two more days be given to it to respond to its suggestion and the bench posted the matter for hearing on May 6.

“The Union of India is seriously considering the suggestion given by this court to have a floor test in Assembly to put an end to the controversy that has emerged in this case,” said the bench in its order.

The bench observed that if the Centre accepts the suggestion, it would “subserve the cause of democracy”.

The apex court then ordered Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi to discuss the feasibility of holding a floor test in the crisis-hit Uttarakhand Assembly.

The apex court said this while responding to the Centre's plea challenging the Nainital High Court verdict revoking President's Rule in the state.

The apex court had on March 27 directed to continue the President's Rule for the while. The two- judge division bench had also asked several questions to the Centre asking it to justify imposition of President's rule in Uttarakhand.

The Centre had introduced President's Rule on March 27, a day before former Chief Minister Harish Rawat was to take a trust vote in the assembly.