Seriously considering suggestion to hold floor test: Centre to Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing till May 6 on the Centre's plea against the Uttarakhand High Court's order revoking President's rule in the hill state.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told the apex court that the Centre is seriously considering its suggestion to hold floor test in Uttarakhand.

"The court made it clear that the floor test can only take place of Harish Rawat. The court will hear the matter on May 6," Additional Advocate General Mukesh Giri said.

"Mukul Rohatgi said there is no scope of a negative outcome as they have seriously considered it. Harish Rawat's lawyer Abhishek Singhvi, Kapil Sibal and Rajiv Dhawan clearly said there is not an issue of five-judges, all issues have been settled and it is not a case of the reference," he added.

A bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh yesterday asked the Centre to explore the feasibility of holding a floor test in the Uttarakhand Assembly under the apex court's supervision.

The apex court asked the Attorney General to take instructions from the Centre in this regard and respond to the court.

The apex court had on April 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 the imposition of President's rule in Uttarakhand.

The Centre had imposed the President's rule in Uttarakhand on March 27, a day before ousted chief minister Harish Rawat was to take a trust vote in the assembly.