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All you need to know about the President’s Rule

Puducherry may be heading towards President's Rule as the Congress government in the union territory fell
Last Updated 01 April 2021, 10:29 IST

The V Narayanasamy-led Congress government in Puducherry fell after failing to prove its majority in the House, months before the union territory goes to polls. Parties are unwilling to form a government so close to the elections, and it is likely that President’s Rule may be announced in Puducherry.

Here’s all you need to know about the President's Rule:

What is President's Rule?

President’s Rule is imposed when the state or union territory’s government is suspended and the Centre takes direct control of the region. In President’s Rule, the Governor becomes the constitutional head of the state. The Vidhan Sabha is either dissolved or prorogued. The Election Commission is obligated to conduct re-election within six months of this imposition.

When can President’ Rule be imposed on a state?

The President of India gets the power to suspend a state government under Article 365 of the Constitution. This is done under the following conditions:

- The state legislature is not able to elect a leader as the Chief Minister for a time prescribed by the state’s Governor.
- If a coalition government in the state breaks down, and the CM ends up having a minority.
- A no-confidence vote is passed in the Legislative Assembly.
- Elections of the state are postponed due to unavoidable reasons like natural disasters.

Incidents when President’s Rule has been imposed:

2019

Maharashtra, November 12-November 23: The state went under President’s Rule when the elections led to fractured results, with no clear majority. Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari became incharge of the state when all the four major parties in the state, which were the BJP, Congress, Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party, did not stake claim to form a government.

2018

Jammu and Kashmir, June 19-October 30: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti resigned as the CM after the BJP withdrew its support from the coalition, sending the state under the President’s Rule from June 19 to October 30. On October 31, the state was split into two separate union territories, giving the Centre power in the state through Lieutenant Governor.

2016

Uttarakhand, March 27-April 21, April 22-May 11: Chief Minister Harish Rawat’s government collapsed after a split in the Congress party. The President's Rule was imposed in the state twice within a span of three months.

Arunachal Pradesh, January 25-February 19: After some Congress MLAs defected to the BJP, destabilising the government in the state, the President’s Rule was imposed. The Congress government was later reinstated by the Supreme Court, calling the imposition as ultra vires.

Jammu and Kashmir, January 9-March 1, 2015: The state went under the President’s Rule due to a hung verdict in the 2015 elections.

2014

Maharashtra, September 28: The then Congress government was dismissed after allies withdrew support and went under the President's Rule for 33 days.

Delhi, February 14: The national capital was without a chief minister for a year after Arvind Kejriwal resigned following the failure to table the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Assembly.

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana: For a span of 100 days, the newly bifurcated states were put under the Rule.

2009

Jharkhand, January 19-December 29: As the elected government lost its majority in the House, the Rule was imposed. Jharkhand was under the President’s Rule in 2010 and 2013 due to the same reason.

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(Published 23 February 2021, 09:26 IST)

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