Manipur Assembly Speaker Yumnam Khemchand on Friday reserved his decision on the disqualification of seven Congress MLAs who have been supporting the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government in the State.
The Congress had approached the Supreme Court for disqualification of the seven MLAs who helped the BJP which was 10 short of majority in the 60-member Assembly, to form the government while continuing to be with the Congress.
Mr. Khemchand had according to schedule heard the cases of seven MLAs at the Speaker’s Tribunal formed under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution. But he kept his decision “reserved” soon after the tribunal began at 11 a.m.
“The Speaker is delaying his decision despite a Supreme Court order to do so [decide on the disqualification]. The petitioners have no option left but to approach the court in a day or two for justice,” Congress spokesperson Ningombam Bupenda Meitei said from Imphal.
The apex court had in a judgement on January 21 asked the Speaker to take necessary action within the stipulated time. On March 28, the Speaker had in deference to the court’s order disqualified former Forest Minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar who had “defected” to the BJP.
The seven MLAs are Oinam Lukhoi Singh, Kshetrimayum Biren Singh, Paonam Brojen Singh, Sanasam Bira Singh, Ngamthang Haokip, Ginsuanhau and Yengkhom Surchandra Singh.
The Congress had won 28 seats while the BJP bagged 21 in 2017 Assembly elections. However, the BJP managed to form the government with the support of Mr. Shyamkumar and the seven other Congress MLAs, apart from two regional parties.
Until Mr Shyamkumar’s disqualification, the BJP camp had 40 MLAs.