Rajasthan Speaker C P Joshi to withdraw petition against deferral of disqualification proceedings from SC

Rajasthan Speaker C P Joshi is likely to withdraw on Monday his pending petition before the Supreme Court against the High Court's interim order of July 21. The High Court had then directed him not to take any action in disqualification proceedings against rebel Congress MLAs, till pronouncement of judgement on July 24.

As a change of strategy, a considered decision has been taken not to pursue the matter before the top court, sources said.

Acting on the Speaker's petition, a bench led by Justice Arun Mishra had on the last date of hearing on July 23 indicated to examine a larger issue if MLAs can have a right to voice their "dissent in democracy".

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In the light of the High Court's order of July 24 and the SC's oral observations, the legal team pursuing Speaker CP Joshi's petition has decided that they would prefer to withdraw the matter, they said.

The top court has on Thursday posted the matter for consideration on Monday, July 27.

It had declined to stay the High Court's interim order of July 21. It had then allowed the High Court to pass the judgement but with the condition that it would be subject to the outcome of the petition (by the Speaker).

Congress Chief Whip Mahesh Joshi is also learnt to have expressed no keenness to take the matter to the top court against the High Court's July 24 order.

The High Court had then ordered status quo and framed legal questions for consideration on the petition filed by sacked deputy CM Sachin Pilot and other rebel MLAs.