HC to hear Pilot plea on Speaker notice today

The matter is scheduled to be heard before a division bench of the Rajasthan High Court at 1 pm on Friday, which is also the “deadline” that the Speaker’s office gave the MLAs to file their replies to the notices. Their petition first came up before the court of Justice Satish Chandra Sharma at 3 pm. But the dissidents’ advocate Harish Salve sought time to file a fresh plea. At 5 pm, the dissident camp submitted an amended petition and the court referred it Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty, for the appointment of a two-judge bench. Congress chief whip Mahesh Joshi’s counsel said then that the matter will be heard at 7.30 pm, but the bench did not assemble then. The hearing has been put off to Friday, the counsel said.

Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who is also a Congress leader, represents the Speaker’s office. Harish Salve and Mukul Rohatgi, who have represented the BJP-led government at the Centre in the past, are the lawyers for the Pilot’s camp. Congress chief whip Mahesh Joshi, who had written to the Speaker seeking the MLAs’ disqualification, also approached the court, asking to be heard before it passes any order. The 19 MLAs were sent notices by the Assemby Secretariat on Tuesday and allowed up to Friday to give their replies. The notices said Joshi will take up the matter on Friday.