Image Source: Indian Express

Rajasthan Assembly Speaker C P Joshi on Monday withdrew its petition in the Supreme Court, against the High Court�s refusal to initiate disqualification proceedings against former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and 18 rebel MLAs. The top court has accepted the Governor�s move.

In his petition to the apex court, Joshi had said the high court order was �illegal, perverse� and �in derogation of the powers of the Speaker under the Constitution�. The high court had last week deferred its order on their petition challenging the disqualification notices till July 24. It also asked the Speaker to extend the period given to the rebel MLAs to reply to his notice till then. The Speaker later agreed to defer any action �till the evening of July 24�.

Meanwhile, Governor Kalraj Mishra returned the fresh proposal, seeking a session of the Assembly on July 31, submitted by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot yesterday. The Governor had in the past returned an earlier recommendation by the government, asking for clarifications on six specific points. The fresh recommendation was sent late on Saturday night, after the cabinet met for a second time earlier in the evening. �All queries have been answered in the latest recommendation, through which we have sought an Assembly session from July 31,� a Congress leader said.