HC defers hearing on Pilot’s petitions challenging disqualification

New Delhi, July 16: Hearing on the petition filed by Sachin Pilot and the other rebels has been deferred. The court has asked Pilot to file a fresh petition tomorrow against the Speaker's disqualification notice.

The hearing was initially held up due to technical issues. However, the Pilot camp sought time to make some amendments to the petition.

The Rajasthan Speaker had issued notices to Sachin Pilot and 18 other rebel Congress MLAs after the party sought their disqualification from the state assembly.

Sacked deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and the other MLAs were asked to respond to the notices by Friday. The notices were issued on Tuesday.

The MLAs had defied a whip and did not attend its legislature party meetings held on Monday and Tuesday.

"Notices have been issued to 19 rebel MLAs, including Sachin Pilot, yesterday," Speaker C P Joshi told PTI to Wednesday.

Sources said the notices were sent after the chief whip of the Congress in Rajasthan Assembly, Mahesh Joshi, wrote to the Speaker, seeking proceedings against the rebel MLAs in accordance with the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.

The Congress also cited past Supreme Court rulings to seek their disqualification.

Among those sent notices are Vishvendra Singh and Ramesh Meena, who were sacked along with Pilot from the state cabinet after their rebellion against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.