New Delhi, Aug 31 IANS) The Supreme Court Monday asked the Haryana government to submit the depositions of the remaining 27 of the 35 witnesses, whom the state wanted to be examined by the court, for dismissal of the suspended chairman and eight members of the Haryana Public Service Commission.

A bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Justice P. Satahasivam and Justice B.S. Chauhan asked the state government counsel Manjit Singh to file the deposition of remaining 27 witnesses in sworn affidavits by Sept 18.

The court fixed Oct 9 as the next date of hearing of the presidential reference, seeking the court's opnion as to whether the state government's decision to dismiss and oust the commission chairman was right and constitutionally valid.

The Haryana government had suspended HPSC chairman Mehar Singh Saini and its 8 members in August 2008 on the grounds of 'misconduct and corruption' and had subsequently recommended their dismissal to President Pratibha Patil.

The president, in turn, sent a reference, made by the state government in 2006, to the apex court in August 2008 and sought its opinion on the state government's power to oust the constitutional authorities, holding the constitutional posts like chairman and members of state public service commission.