The central government said on Wednesday it was taking into “serious consideration” the Supreme Court’s suggestion to hold a floor test in the Uttarakhand Assembly under its supervision. The Centre said it will arrive at a decision on the matter by Friday. This was after the apex court accepted the government's plea seeking two more days to respond to its suggestion, PTI reported.

A bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Kirti Singh noted Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi’s statement on behalf of the government, but warned that the matter may be taken to a Constitution bench for debate if the Centre’s instructions on the suggestion were not submitted on Friday.

The interim order that stayed the Uttarakhand High Court verdict quashing the imposition of President’s Rule in the state “will continue and remain in force till further orders”, the two-judge bench added.

In a related development, Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court KM Joseph, who had headed the bench that had set aside President’s Rule in the state, has been transferred to the Andhra Pradesh High Court. The order imposing President’s Rule in Uttarakhand was passed in March, a day before Rawat was to prove his majority in the state Assembly.