Resignations of MLAs supporting Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot were not voluntary, Assembly Speaker submits reply to Rajasthan High Court

Shocking revelations have come to light in the case of pro-Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot MLAs who resigned on September 25 last year. In the affidavit given in the High Court on behalf of the Assembly Secretary, it has been said that the resignations of 81 MLAs were not voluntary. That's why they were not approved. The petition of Deputy Leader of Opposition and senior BJP leader Rajendra Rathore was heard in the bench of High Court Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal on Monday.
On behalf of the Assembly Secretary, senior Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued through video conferencing. The Advocate General of the State also appeared. Now the next hearing will be on 13 February. Assembly Secretary Mahavir Prasad Sharma has presented the complete details of the 81 MLAs who resigned on Monday. In this, the entire file noting from the resignation of the Speaker to the withdrawal of the resignation has also been presented in the High Court.
The assembly speaker has given the reason for the withdrawal of resignation. It is written in this – All the MLAs have presented applications for voluntary withdrawal of their resignations by appearing before me separately. It is clearly mentioned in the applications that the resignations given earlier by them were not voluntary. All the MLAs have voluntarily withdrawn their resignations as per Rule 173(4) of the Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. This is not a matter of the 10th Schedule, but of the resignations of ministers and MLAs. That's why the order of the Supreme Court to take a decision in four weeks does not apply.
On September 25, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal, Government Chief Whip Mahesh Joshi, Deputy Chief Whip Mahendra Chaudhary, Revenue Minister Ramlal Jat, Congress MLA Rafiq Khan and Independent MLA and CM's advisor Sanyam Lodha took resignations of 81 MLAs in front of the Speaker on September 25. Had gone. These contained photocopies of the resignations of five MLAs.
Five MLAs had given photocopied resignations. Three of those MLAs were earlier in the pilot camp and came with Gehlot during the political crisis. These include Chetan Doody, Danish Abrar and Independent Suresh Tak. Gehlot supporters Amit Chachan (Nohar, Hanumangarh) and Gopal Meena (Jamua Ramgarh, Jaipur) also submitted photocopied resignations.
In the reply presented by the Assembly Secretary, it has been said that according to Rule 173 (3) of the procedure and conduct of the business of the members of the Legislative Assembly, the resignations will not be accepted until the Presidential resolution is given that they are voluntary and genuine. Even after not taking a decision on resignations for a long time, the reply has been argued on behalf of the speaker. It has been said – not every MLA had given separate resignations. Resignations were presented en masse. In this, six MLAs presented themselves and submitted resignations of 81 MLAs. There was a photocopy of the resignation of 5 MLAs. Due to this, it was necessary to take a decision only after complete satisfaction and investigation.
On 30 Dec 22, 24 MLAs withdrew their resignations, on 31 Dec 22, 38 MLAs and on 1 Jan 23, 15 MLAs withdrew their resignations by appearing before the Speaker. On 2 Jan 23, 2 MLAs withdrew their resignations. On 3 Jan 23, Independent Saamyam Lodha and on 10 Jan 23, Congress MLA Wajib Ali took back his resignation.