How can the Union Cabinet sitting in New Delhi determine that a Money Bill was not validly passed in the Uttarakhand Assembly and pave the way for imposing President’s rule in the State, the Supreme Court asked the Centre on Wednesday.
Hearing the Centre’s appeal against the Uttarakhand High Court judgment revoking President’s Rule, it extended its stay on the quashing of the Central rule. This means President’s Rule will continue in the State and the April 29 floor test in the Assembly ordered by the High Court will not take place.
“The million dollar question is when the Assembly Speaker said the Money Bill was passed on March 18, how did you say it was not,” Justice Dipak Misra asked the Centre.
The Centre, represented by Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi, insisted that the non-passage of the Money Bill would have witnessed the State slipping into chaos. “But the Assembly records show that the Money Bill was passed on March 18. If so, who is the authority to question the Speaker? Nobody can question him,” Justice Shiva Kirti Singhobserved.
The Bench scheduled the case for hearing on May 3 and said its judgment would be pronounced before the summer vacation starting on May 16.
During the hearing, the Bench questioned Governor K.K. Paul’s authority to seek video and audio recordings of the March 18 Assembly proceedings on the passing of the Money Bill. “Is it within the Governor’s jurisdiction,” the Bench asked the Centre.