Jaipur:
The hearing of Team Sachin Pilot’s plea against the disqualification congress decision was postponed to the High Court of Rajasthan today, the petitioners having requested a bench of two judges. A judge will now have to be chosen by the Chief Justice and a new hearing date will be decided.
Usually, constitutional law cases are heard by a court of two judges. A single judge – Justice Satish Sharma – has been appointed to hear Team Pilot’s application urgently. The High Court was closed for six days after a few employees were found to be infected with a coronavirus.
Mr. Pilot, who insisted on his membership in Congress will not join the BJP, took the legal route this morning regarding the party’s decision to disqualify him and his supporters.
The fact that he made no effort to contact the Gandhis despite their repeated openings and that he curled up in Haryana station – against party command – is seen as a hardening of the position of the rebel leader.
Congress yesterday asked Mr. Pilot to leave the BJP-led state and stop fraternizing with the BJP.
But his choice of lawyer today – Harish Salve and Mukul Rohatgi, the best lawyers in the central government led by the BJP – is seen as an indication of his trajectory.
Congress accused the BJP of deploying heavy artillery to defend Mr. Pilot and his band of rebels. Given the tax cuts against Prime Minister Ashok Gehlot’s loyalists earlier this week, the party also accused the BJP of using the power of the government and its agencies to target Gehlot.
