SC notice to Centre on Delhi Prez Rule

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre on a petition filed by AAP challenging imposition of President’s Rule in the national capital and seeking that the Delhi Assembly be dissolved and fresh election be held in order to form a new government.
A bench comprising Justices R.M. Lodha and Dipak Misra sought the Centre’s response within 10 days. The bench, which posted the matter for hearing on March 7, refrained from issuing notice to BJP and Congress which were made party in the petition, saying it only wants to deal with the Constitutional issue. “It is a constitutional issue so whoever has passed the order has to answer... We don’t want it to be a political contest,” the bench remarked.
Senior advocate Fali S. Nariman appeared for the AAP and apprised the court of the situation that led to the filing of the petition.
On February 21, the apex court had agreed to hear the petition seeking a direction to the lieutenant-governor to dissolve Delhi Assembly and hold fresh polls along with Lok Sabha elections. Advocate Prashant Bhushan had said there was no possibility of any alternate government in Delhi and the L-G should have dissolved the Assembly.