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SC issues notices to Meghalaya Assembly speaker, 6 MLAs
Shillong, May 01: The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Meghalaya Assembly speaker and six MLAs who had defected from opposition NCP and joined the rulingCongress-led coalition last December attracting the anti-defection law.
Shillong, May 01: The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Meghalaya Assembly speaker and six MLAs who had defected from opposition NCP and joined the ruling
Congress-led coalition last December attracting the anti-defection law.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice V N Khare, Justice Rajendra Babu and Justice S H Kapadia served the notice yesterday giving them six weeks time to reply.
The NCP had filed a special leave petition on January 14, party`s lawyer said.
Yesterday`s order asked speaker Martin M Danggo why his order dated December 17 last would not be set aside in which he had recognised the breakaway NCP group led by Cyprian R Sangma as the Meghalaya Nationalist Congress Party and allotted them separate seats in the state assembly.
The six MLAs led by Sangma, who had split the 14-member NCP in December and floated the MNCP before joining the Lapang government, were asked why they should not be disqualified for attracting anti-defection laws.
The SLP sought quashing the speaker`s order of December 17 on the ground that before recognising the MNCP and allotting them separate seats he did not give any opportunity to the NCP leadership and thereby `violated the natural justice`.
The SLP also pleaded with the court to debar the six MLAs from participating in any proceedings of the assembly - leading to disqualification of their membership.
Danggo on December 15 last year, the first day of the winter session of the 60-member assembly, quoted a letter from Sangma and five of his colleagues to announce and recognise a split in NCP legislature party in the house and formation of MNCP by them.
Four of the six MNCP MLAs were inducted into the cabinet the same day reducing the strength of NCP to eight from 14 and increasing the size of the cabinet to 32 plus 10 ministers of state.
Bureau Report
The NCP had filed a special leave petition on January 14, party`s lawyer said.
Yesterday`s order asked speaker Martin M Danggo why his order dated December 17 last would not be set aside in which he had recognised the breakaway NCP group led by Cyprian R Sangma as the Meghalaya Nationalist Congress Party and allotted them separate seats in the state assembly.
The six MLAs led by Sangma, who had split the 14-member NCP in December and floated the MNCP before joining the Lapang government, were asked why they should not be disqualified for attracting anti-defection laws.
The SLP sought quashing the speaker`s order of December 17 on the ground that before recognising the MNCP and allotting them separate seats he did not give any opportunity to the NCP leadership and thereby `violated the natural justice`.
The SLP also pleaded with the court to debar the six MLAs from participating in any proceedings of the assembly - leading to disqualification of their membership.
Danggo on December 15 last year, the first day of the winter session of the 60-member assembly, quoted a letter from Sangma and five of his colleagues to announce and recognise a split in NCP legislature party in the house and formation of MNCP by them.
Four of the six MNCP MLAs were inducted into the cabinet the same day reducing the strength of NCP to eight from 14 and increasing the size of the cabinet to 32 plus 10 ministers of state.
Bureau Report