SC rejects PIL challenging President's Rule in Uttarakhand, CBI probe into alleged horse trading of MLAs

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a PIL challenging the Centre's decision to impose President's Rule in Congress-ruled Uttarakhand.

According to ANI, the apex court also rejected demands for CBI probe into alleged horse trading of MLAs in the state.

Advocate General Mukul Rohatgi is currently arguing on behalf of the Centre in the Uttarakhand High Court.

The Centre had last week gave an undertaking in the Uttarakhand High Court that it will come to it before any decision is taken to lift the President's Rule in the state after Congress made a strong pitch for the first right to form the government.

"I will inform the court before any decision is taken to revoke the Presidential Rule," Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Centre, had told the High Court.

The court was dealing with an interim application of former Chief Minister Harish Rawat in which it was apprehended that the Central rule may be lifted to facilitate installation of a BJP-led government in the state.

In his plea, Rawat has sought a direction to the Governor that he should be asked to form the government first if any decision to revoke the Presidential Rule is taken by the Centre during the pendency of his main petition.

The ousted CM has also apprehended that the Centre with the "connivance" of the state BJP may revoke the Presidential Rule during the pendency of the case and deny "rightful opportunity" to him to form the government making his petition infructuous.