SC to hear AAP plea against imposition of Prez rule on July 4

, May 5: The Supreme Court today posted for July 4, the hearing on a petition filed by Aam Aadmi Party challenging imposition of President's rule in Delhi after it was informed that the Lieutenant Governor has decided to deal with the matter after the conclusion of Lok Sabha polls.

A bench headed by Chief Justice R M Lodha was requested by senior counsel Fali Nariman, appearing for AAP, to keep the matter for hearing in first week of July as LG has informed that he will deal with the issue after May 16. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, an AAP leader, also made the same request and said nobody is coming forward to claim for formation of government.

He also submitted that elections are being held and the results may change the ground reality since the last assembly elections. The apex court had earlier said that there was no legal impediment for the President to dissolve the Delhi Assembly to pave the way for fresh election in the state.

The bench, however, had clarified that it was not passing any direction in any manner in this regard and it was for the President to decide on the basis of the facts and circumstances. The court had earlier passed the order after counsel for Congress, BJP, AAP and the Centre had agreed on the issue that there was no impediment on the part of the President and LG to revoke the proclamation. It had said that it was confining its proceeding to constitutional issues and would refrain from political issues.

The apex court had also said that it was not passing any observation on the President and LG and whether their action was right or wrong. The court was hearing a plea filed by AAP challenging the decision of the Centre not to dissolve the Delhi Assembly after its Arvind Kejriwal's government quit office.

Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung had not favoured dissolution of the 70-member Delhi Assembly as recommended by the Council of Ministers headed by Kejriwal and kept the Assembly in suspended animation.

PTI