The decision on Sachin Pilot's fight against the Congress will be announced on Friday.
A court decision that could impact Sachin Pilot's fight against the Congress will be announced on Friday. Until that decision, the Rajasthan Speaker will defer action against Sachin Pilot and 18 other rebel MLAs, the High Court said today. Team Pilot has challenged disqualification notices served by the Speaker last week for "anti-party activities".
There is nothing to show the Rajasthan Speaker "applied his mind" while serving disqualification notices to Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress rebel MLAs, senior lawyer Mukul Rohatgi argued today in the Rajasthan High Court. As the court heard team Pilot's challenge to the notices served last week for "anti-party activities", Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot held the third meeting with Congress MLAs at a resort in Jaipur, where he is guarding his flock against what he alleges is a conspiracy against his government.
On Monday, Mr Gehlot sharpened its attack on Sachin Pilot, with the Chief Minister calling him "useless" and another loyalist alleging that the dissident Congress leader himself offered him crores to switch sides.
Mr Pilot reacted sharply, saying he will take the MLA to court.
Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat confirmed he has received a notice from Rajasthan police, after the Congress claimed he figures in audio clips suggesting a "conspiracy" to topple the Congress government in Rajasthan.
The BJP had earlier demanded a CBI inquiry into "illegal" phone-tapping by the state government. But, in what could be a move to pre-empt it, the state government has withdrawn its "general consent" to the agency to investigate criminal cases.
Here are the Live Updates on Rajasthan Political Crisis:
Asked by a court to defer action against Sachin Pilot and other Congress rebels, the Rajasthan Speaker will approach the Supreme Court.
Speaker CP Joshi, who served disqualification notices to 19 rebel MLAs including Sachin Pilot for "anti-party activities" last week, was first asked to defer action by three days. The Rajasthan High Court yesterday said it would announce its decision on the rebels' petition challenging the notices on Friday, and requested that action against them be deferred till then.
The Speaker will challenge the High Court's "delay and intervention" in the Supreme Court. Read
Sachin Pilot, whose open revolt in Rajasthan has left the Ashok Gehlot government near collapse, served a legal notice to Congress MLA Giriraj Singh Malinga on Tuesday over allegations that the sacked deputy chief minister offered him money to join the BJP.
Sources close to Mr Pilot confirmed the notice had been served - for false and malicious statements made by Mr Malinga to the press a day earlier.
On Monday Mr Malinga had told reporters in Jaipur: "I had a discussion with Sachin Pilot. He spoke to me and said how much do you want. He told me Rs 35 crore". Read
