Prez rule imposed in Uttarakhand

27 March, New Delhi

President’s rule was imposed Sunday in Uttarakhand, which had plunged into a constitutional crisis after nine ruling Congress MLAs rebelled against the Harish Rawat government.

Official sources said President Pranab Mukherjee this morning signed the proclamation for imposition of Central rule under Article 356 of the constitution.

The state Assembly will remain suspended animation. The development came a day before when Chief Minister Harish Rawat was to seek a trust vote in the state Assembly to prove his majority.

The recommendation for central rule was made by the Union Cabinet at its emergency meeting last night, chaired by PM Narendra Modi who cut short his visit to Assam.

Earlier, Harish Rawat led Uttarakhand government was asked to prove its majority by March 28, after nine rebel MLAs of the Congress sided with the Opposition BJP to destabilise the government.

Assembly speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal,meanwhile, has also disqualified nine rebel Congress MLA’s from the House.