Applause broke out inside Courtroom 55 after Chief Justice Robert Bauman rose and left the chamber.

Moments earlier, shortly after 10 a.m. today (August 20), the B.C. Supreme Court judge rendered his much-anticipated decision on a legal challenge brought forward by big business against the successful anti-HST initiative petition.

Bauman’s reasons for judgment, which he read out before a packed gallery, were clear: the petition is valid.

Bauman also asked acting chief electoral officer Craig James to immediately forward the petition to a committee of the legislative assembly.

Outside the courthouse, Fight HST leader and former premier Bill Vander Zalm was all sunshine.

“We’ve won, we’ve won; it’s great,” Vander Zalm told journalists.

He also called on B.C. Liberal premier Gordon Campbell to convene the legislative assembly for a free vote on the unpopular harmonized sales tax.

“The smart thing for the government to do would be to deal with it quick,” Vander Zalm said. “I don’t know why they want to leave it to linger. That would simply add to the aggravation that people feel today.”

Vander Zalm also delivered a stern warning. If B.C. Liberal MLAs don’t quash the HST before November 15, the day Elections B.C. can start receiving petitions for recall, they will face recall campaigns.

Bill Vander Zalm says there's now no reason why the HST petition shouldn't go to the legislature.

NDP leader Carole James also showed up outside the courthouse after Bauman issued his decision.

James told reporters that she wrote Campbell about two weeks ago, suggesting that the legislative be convened soon.

“It’s time for the premier to act,” James said.

The legislative assembly is currently on summer recess.

In his reasons for judgment, Bauman said that the HST petition “complies with the spirit and letter” of the Recall and Initiative Act.

The petition garnered more than 700,000 signatures across the province.

Even though it met the required threshold of signatories, the acting chief electoral officer decided not to forward the initiative petition and its accompanying draft bill to extinguish the HST to the select standing committee on legislative initiatives.

Because of this action, proponents of the initiative petition are “currently denied the fruits of their ”˜victory for democracy’,” Bauman stated.

If a free vote in the legislature upholds the HST, Bill Vander Zalm says recall campaigns will go ahead.

Carole James calls for "no more delays".