Rajasthan HC makes Centre party in plea by Sachin Pilot, MLAs

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], July 24 (ANI): Rajasthan High Court has made Centre a party in the case against Congress, in the petition filed by Sachin Pilot and other MLAs against disqualification notice.
"Rajasthan High Court has made Centre a party in the case against Congress, in the petition filed by Sachin Pilot and MLAs against disqualification notice. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) will represent Centre in the court," Prateek Kasliwal, lawyer of Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi told reporters here.
Earlier, Rajasthan High Court asked Assembly Speaker CP Joshi to defer the proceedings pending before him on the disqualification notices issued to Pilot and 18 MLAs of his faction and put off the verdict on the matter till July 24.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court held that the Rajasthan High Court can pass an order on former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and other MLAs' plea against disqualification notice issued against them by the State Assembly Speaker.
Joshi had approached the top court with an SLP against the interim order of the Rajasthan High Court, which had on Tuesday asked Speaker CP Joshi to defer the proceedings pending before him on the disqualification notices issued to Pilot and 18 MLAs of his faction, and put off the verdict on the matter till July 24.
The Speaker had earlier sent notices to Pilot and 18 MLAs under the anti-defection law after the chief whip's application for their disqualification. MLAs were earlier asked to present before Assembly Speaker on July 17, but the same was deferred in view of the hearing before the High Court.
The development had come even as Rajasthan Congress is in turmoil after simmering differences between Pilot and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot came out in the open. (ANI)