A day ahead of the single bench of the State High Court taking up the nine Congress rebels' disqualification case, an advocate representing the rebel Congress MlAs submitted a 15-page rejoinder in the Uttarakhand High Court on Friday, challenging the Speaker's decision to disqualify them from Assembly.
The single bench had earlier ordered both the contending parties to submit affidavits on the issue. While the advocates representing the Speaker had filed affidavit on April 18 as asked by the bench, those representing the rebel Congress MlAs submitted the rejoinder on April 22 as per the bench's order.
Rebel MlAs had also challenged the Speaker's show-cause notice served on them. The High Court is likely to give its ruling on the matter on Saturday.
Notably, the rebel MlAs had moved Uttarakhand High Court, challenging their disqualification by Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal a few hours after President's Rule had been imposed on the State.
The petition was filed before the single bench of Justice UC Dhyani against the Speaker's action, questioning its validity on the ground that it had been taken after invocation of Article 356 in the State when the Assembly was already under suspended animation.
The nine rebel Congress leaders are Vijay Bahuguna, Harak Singh Rawat, Shailarani Rawat, Subodh Uniyal, Shailendra Mohan Singhal, Pradeep Batra, Umesh Sharma 'Kau', Amrita Rawat and Pranav Champion.