NEW DELHI: Former Law Minister and senior Congress leader Ashwani Kumar today said the Supreme Court's decision on government formation in Karnataka vindicates democracy and has thwarted an "illegal attempt" to "usurp" power against the spirit of electoral mandate.
The Supreme Court today ordered a floor test in the Karnataka Assembly at 4 PM tomorrow, drastically slashing the 15-day window given by the governor to BJP Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa to prove majority.
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"The decision of the SC today vindicates democracy and constitutional morality. It has thwarted the unholy and a brazenly illegal attempt to usurp power against the spirit of electoral mandate," he said in a statement.
"The order of the highest court comes as a welcome assurance that democracy and constitutionalism have taken deep roots in India. Hopefully, no Governor will in future exercise high constitutional power whimsically and arbitrary," Kumar said.
He said the order of the Supreme Court has once again assured the nation that constitutional aberrations can only be short-lived if at all and that "usurpation of power through illegal exercise of constitutional power will not be countenanced by the people of India".
"We know that the perverse exercise of discretion by the Governor of Karnataka was actuated by partisan considerations and political opportunism.
"The powers that be forgot that falsehood falls under its own weight and that truth is self sustaining.
We must also never forget that eternal vigil is necessary for ensuring constitutional rectitude.
These are the valuable lessons of the sordid Karnataka story," he said.