HC verdict on Pilot's plea on Friday, Speaker asked to defer action

The Rajasthan High Court on Tuesday (July 21) reserved its judgment on the petition filed by Sachin Pilot and 18 other dissident MLAs for July 24, and requested the Speaker of the State Assembly to defer action of the disqualification notices till then.

“The hearing has concluded. The Rajashthan High Court has fixed July 24 for passing order. Hearing before the Speaker has also been deferred by the court,” said Prateek Kasliwal, the lawyer of Speaker CP Joshi who had served the disqualification notices.

The high court had on Friday given a four-day reprieve to Sachin Pilot and other Congress dissidents from any action by Rajasthan Speaker on the disqualification notices served on them by extending the hearing into their petition.

Pilot was sacked as deputy chief minister and the president of the state unit of the party after he rebelled against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. On being issued the disqualification notices, his camp had taken the matter to the court.

In case the MLAs are disqualified, the strength of the assembly would be reduced, placing Chief Minister Gehlot in a better position to save his government. Currently, Gehlot claims the support of 109 MLAs in the 200-member assembly.

Related news: Here’s what Congress will do next if HC favours Pilot in Rajasthan

Meanwhile, a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting was held in Jaipur on Tuesday, party sources said. The meeting, which began around 1 pm, is likely to decide the party’s future strategy depending on the court’s decision.

Senior Congress leaders including national general secretary Avinash Pande, KC Venugopal, Ajay Maken, Randeep Surjewala, Vivek Bansal, along with Chief Minister Gehlot are present at the meeting. This is the third meeting of the CLP in the last one week.

(With inputs from agencies)