Article 356 an option of last resort, not of first choice: Abhishek Manu Singhvi

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Tuesday questioned the decision to impose the President's Rule in Maharashtra, saying that there was no "real attempt to give a chance to have an aggregation of political forces."

He also said the provision to invoke Article 356 (President's Rule) is meant to be an option of the last resort and not an option of the first choice.

"Some fundamental points and nuances are being missed. Firstly, BR Ambedkar and lot of other Constituent Assembly people conceived of 356 as rarest of rare. It is meant to be an option of the last resort, not an option of the first choice. Unfortunately, the Governor's action of recommendation and the Central Government's promulgation fail on this test completely," he told ANI.

 

"I am sorry to say that the Governor appears to have gone through the motions. There is no real attempt to give a chance, a time to have an aggregation of political forces," he said.

The Congress leader said there is a difference between parties like the BJP which said no and Shiv Sena which said it has the capacity and intent to form the government.

"Another point being missed out is there is a vast difference between a party which says no -- the BJP says we have no capacity vs a party, like the Shiv Sena which says yes. The Shiv Sena is saying -- give us reasonable time and we have the capacity and intent to form the government. They may not do it but why don't give them three days? Are three days too long," he questioned.

The Congress leader alleged that the "356 route" was being sought to help regroup forces, who are unable to form the government.

"Once the President's Rule is imposed, one of the allegations which unfortunately is very strong is that Central government assistance through 356 route is being done to seek time, to get a window to prolong the process. Once you get time, obviously time is being got for certain forces who are unable to form the government to regroup, to try 'open and close' tactics," said Singhvi.

"I don't agree either with the Governor or the Central government's approach to it," the Congress leader said.

Maharashtra came under the President's Rule on Tuesday after President Ram Nath Kovind gave his approval to the requisite notification.

The President signed the notification following the recommendation of the Union Cabinet which acted on the report from the state Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

The Governor had recommended the imposition of President's Rule following the political stalemate in the state over the formation of the government.