Following in the footsteps of the Supreme Court, the Nainital High Court single bench has decided to expedite hearing and deliver its ruling in the case of nine Congress rebels’ disqualification by the Speaker before May 9.  Things followed after the counsel representing the rebel Congress MlA Umesh Sharma ‘Kau’ had submitted a petition on Friday, requesting High Court to pronounce its order at the earliest.   The Court then asked counsels representing the Speaker and the rebel MlAs to reach an agreement on the petition of the advocate representing Kau, asking for a expeditious disposal of the case. After the counsels from both sides intimated the court about their agreement on the matter the Nainital High Court single bench of Justice UC Dhyani said it would deliver the order any day before May 9.  It also said that the next hearing of the case would be held on May 5.

Notably, the court on Thursday had adjourned the hearing till May 9 as advocate representing rebel MlAs had informed the court that the senior counsel

CA Sundaram who is representing the rebels was unable to turn up as the chopper he was aboard failed to land in Nainital due to fire raging in the forest areas of the district.

The case started in the single bench after nine rebel Congress leaders- former CM Vijay Bahuguna, Harak Singh Rawat, Shailarani Rawat, Subodh Uniyal, Shailendra Mohan Singhal, Pradeep Batra, Umesh Sharma ‘Kau’, Amrita Rawat and Pranav Champion- had challenged the Speaker’s action of disqualifying them from the Assembly.  Rebel MlAs had moved High Court on March 30, challenging their disqualification the order of which was given on March 27-the day the President’s Rule was enforced in Uttarakhand.