By IANS,
New Delhi : The union cabinet Thursday extended the six-month-old President’s rule in Jharkhand by six months beyond July 18.
The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, said cabinet spokesperson and Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni.
Soni said the cabinet approved state Governor Syed Sibtey Razi’s June 16 report which said that “despite lapse of nearly five months since imposition of the President’s rule, the state continues to suffer political impasse”.
No political party or group has come forward to stake claim to forming the government in the state, said Soni, quoting from the governor’s report and added that the cabinet accordingly decided to extend the President’s rule by six months.
The President’s rule under Article 356 of the constitution was imposed in Jharkhand Jan 19, 2009 and the state assembly was kept in suspended animation.
The move came after then chief minister Shibu Soren of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) demitted office following his failure to get elected to the assembly and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) partners – the Congress, JMM and Rashtriya Janata Dal – failed to arrive at a consensus on who should be the next chief minister.
The President’s rule is valid for six months and it has to be extended for its continuance, said Soni adding that the government will place a report on Jharkhand in the ongoing session of parliament.