Rajasthan Political Crisis LIVE Updates: Pilot Camp Says HC's Power Can't be Curtailed; Rajasthan DGP Writes to Haryana Counterpart for Cooperation in SOG Probe

Rajasthan High Court hearing on Pilot camp's plea concludes. The session will resume at 2 PM.

The Rajasthan CM’s diatribe against his former deputy, Sachin Pilot, has surprised many. The attacks are aimed both at the defectors and his own party MLAs.

Congress MLAs perform yoga and play badminton at Hotel Fairmont in Jaipur. Congress MLAs supporting Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot are staying at the hotel.

Rajasthan: Congress MLAs perform yoga and play badminton at Hotel Fairmont in Jaipur.

Congress MLAs supporting Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot are staying at the hotel. pic.twitter.com/F7b9CU3jlC

— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2020

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Rajasthan Political Crisis

यह कोरोना से लड़ने का समय था और आप अंताक्षरी खेलने लगे!

यह गरीब को भोजन देने का समय था और आप इटालियन बनाना सीखने लगे!

राजस्थान सतर्क है, सब देख रहा है!!#RajasthanPoliticalCrisis

— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) July 21, 2020

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s OSD Deva Ram Saini leaves from CBI office after completion of enquiry. Congress MLA Krishna Poonia will be questioned in a while.

CBI questions Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot's OSD Deva Ram Saini in alleged suicide case of Police officer Vishnudutt Vishnoi, reports PTI.

Rohatgi Refers to SC Judgement That Favoured Setting up External Tribunal | Referring to a 2020 judgment by the Supreme Court that questioned impartiality of the Speaker, Mukul Rohatgi points out the judgment favoured setting up an external tribunal to decide questions of disqualification since Speakers are aligned with ruling parties.

Rajasthan HC Hearing Update | Pilot camp's counsel Mukul Rohatgi in Court:

* High Court has jurisdiction to decide 

* HC must examine Speaker's decision to issue notices 

* 1992 Kihoto judgment isn't applicable in this case to oust the jurisdiction of HC

* There is no crossing over or detection by MLAs

Rajasthan HC Hearing Update | Putting light on Assembly Speaker CP Joshi's conduct, counsel Mukul Rohatgi tells the Court to demand an oath letter from the Speaker and he should be asked to answer all the questions raised by the Pilot camp.

Rajasthan HC Hearing Update | Pilot Camp's lawyer Mukul Rohatgi argues, why only three days time has been given to the rebel Congress MLAs to respond amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Whereas, the complaint filed by BJP leader Madan Dilawar has not been heard yet though it was filed almost 4 months ago and it should be heard before Mahesh Joshi's petition.

Rajasthan HC Hearing Update | Under Article 226, the powers of the high court is unlimited and the veil from over any law can be lifted, argues Mukul Rohatgi.

Rajasthan HC Hearing Update | Advocate Mukul Rohatagi argues that High Court's power cannot be curtailed and it has jurisdiction to hear the case. He says, each judgment has to be read with facts trying to explain how landmark judgment 'Kihoto' is not applicable in this case.

Rajasthan HC Hearing Update | Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representating Sachin Pilot and 18 other rebel Congress MLAs, begins his argument.

Rajasthan DGP Bhupendra Yadav writes to DGP of Haryana and the Commissioner of Delhi Police, seeking cooperation in Special Operation Group's (SOG) probe in a case related to alleged attempts to destabilise the state government.

CM Ashok Gehlot's OSD Deva Ram Saini reaches CBI office for enquiry.

Rajasthan High Court hearing on the petition filed by Sachin Pilot and 18 other dissident Congress MLAs will begin at 10:30 am.

CBI to Question CM's OSD Deva Ram Saini at 10 AM | A CBI team calls CM Ashok Gehlot’s OSD Deva Ram Saini to office at 10 AM for enquiry, following which Congress MLA Krishna Poonia will be enquired again at 11 AM.

The Rajasthan High Court has barred the Assembly Speaker to take any action on rebel MLAs till Tuesday evening after they filed a petition against their suspension by the Congress party.

ACB Asks 2 Rebel Cong MLAs to Appear Before it in 3 Days | The Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau issued notices to dissident Congress MLAs Bhanwarlal Sharma and Vishvendra Singh, asking them to appear before it within three days for investigation into an alleged plot to topple the state government. The ACB had registered an FIR against Bhanwarlal under the Prevention of Corruption Act on July 17 in connection with the audio tapes, which allegedly indicate a plot to bring down the Congress government in the state. Vishvendra Singh, who was earlier removed from the state Cabinet, has too been summoned for investigation with regard to the audio tapes.

Some party leaders feel that Gehlot calling Pilot names and going public against him in the media, has dealt a huge setback to the party's efforts at rapprochement.

BJP Says Gehlot is Hiding Something after State Govt Withdraws 'General Consent' for CBI Investigation | The Ashok Gehlot government has withdrawn its "general consent" to the CBI to conduct investigations in Rajasthan, and the central agency will now need its prior permission on a case-by-case basis, prompting the BJP to question the intention behind the move. The opposition party, which had demanded a CBI inquiry into the phone tapping row that has erupted during the ongoing political crisis in the state, said Chief Minister Gehlot's action shows he is trying to hide something.

Rebel Cong MLA Alleges Gehlot Harassing Legislators | Dissident Congress MLA Vishvendra Singh accuses Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot of misusing his powers to harass legislators who have challenged his "misrule and lack of leadership". He says he was a cabinet minister until recently but now FIRs are filed against him by the Special Operations Group and the Anti Corruption Bureau. He warned the government that the public was "watching it all". He alleges that Gehlot was misusing his powers not only against the dissident MLAs but also against their family members.

BJP State Chief Poonia Condemns Gehlot for His Language | BJP Rajasthan president Satish Poonia condemns Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for his choice of words for his party leaders, saying this shows he and his government is "morally weak". He says, the government work is suspended and people are suffering but the government is not bothered about it. He calls it is like an "indirect emergency" in Rajasthan.

HC Hearing to Resume Today, Order Likely to be Pronounced | The Rajasthan High Court will today resume hearing the petition filed by Sachin Pilot and 18 other dissident Congress MLAs, challenging the disqualification notices issued to them by the assembly Speaker. The hearing remained inconclusive on Monday and Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty said it will be concluded today. The order is also likely to be pronounced today.

Raj Congress to Hold Legislature Party Meeting Today | The Rajasthan Congress will hold a legislature party meeting today, say party sources said, amid an alleged plot to topple its government in the state. The meeting is expected to start at 11 am at Fairmont hotel in Jaipur, where Congress legislators in support of the Ashok Gehlot government are camping. The agenda of the meeting is not clear yet. It will be the third meeting of the Legislature party in the last one week.