Arunachal Governor Rajkhowa may be sacked

A defiant Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa may be sacked after his refusal to heed to the Centre’s advice to him to step down.

The action may come after the special session of the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly, which is meeting for two days on Wednesday to ratify the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Constitution Amendment Bill, a government functionary said.

“Nothing will happen to the Governor till the Assembly session is over. After that something may happen,” he said.

Governor Rajkhowa was nudged by the Centre to put in his papers after severe stricture from the Supreme Court over the dismissal of the then Congress government last year.

“I want the President to dismiss me. I will not resign.  Let the President express his displeasure. Let the government use provisions of Article 156 of the Constitution,” the Governor told a Guwahati-based TV news channel yesterday.

Rajkhowa said he had been asked to resign “on health grounds” weeks after the Supreme Court had restored the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh and censured him.