President's rule extended in Bihar; SC notice on dissolving house

New Delhi: President's rule in Bihar was Monday extended by six months, even as the Supreme Court issued notice on the dissolution of the state assembly.

"The cabinet has recommended extension of the president's rule in Bihar by six months," a senior minister told reporters here after a cabinet meeting.

Bihar was placed under federal rule March 7 on the recommendation of the central government because no party or coalition could form a government after the February elections threw up a hung verdict.

The state assembly was dissolved in May and fresh polls are to be held October-November.

The Supreme Court notice to the centre and Bihar Governor Buta Singh came on a petition filed May 31 by four members of the dissolved house.

The petitioners said the assembly had been dissolved at the behest of Rashtriya Janata Dal chief and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad to prevent Janata Dal-U (JD-U) leader Nitish Kumar from staking claim to form a government.

The petitioners had "made out a case for hearing", the Supreme Court observed.

Ram Parvesh Rai (JD-U), Rameshwar Prasad Chaurasia (Bharatiya Janata Party), Anil Kumar (breakaway group of Lok Janshakti Party), and Kishore Kumar Munna (Independent) had filed the petition.

"Dissolution of the assembly within 79 days of its creation without holding any meaningful efforts to explore the possibility of a formation of a popular government itself is unconstitutional," the petitioners said.