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New Delhi : Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee had filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking the cancellation of the membership of the rebel MPs (now with the NCPI). In this matter, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has issued notices to those 20 MPs, seeking a response within seven days.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court had sought a response from the 20 rebel TMC MPs regarding Abhishek Banerjee’s petition. In his plea, Banerjee had challenged the delay in deciding upon the petitions filed by the party seeking the cancellation of their membership.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana issued notices to the 20 MPs regarding Banerjee’s petition. Banerjee had urged the Court to direct the Lok Sabha Speaker to take an early decision on the pending petitions seeking the cancellation of their membership.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing on behalf of the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Secretary-General of the House, informed the bench that the Speaker had already issued notices to the 20 MPs regarding the disqualification petitions filed by the TMC under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.
Responding to this, Justice Joymalya Bagchi remarked, “The issue is not about issuing notices. The issue is about completing the proceedings within a fixed timeframe.”
The TMC has accused the 20 MPs of leaving the party and subsequently joining the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI). Banerjee argues that this conduct renders them liable for disqualification under the anti-defection provisions of the Constitution.
The petition names the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Secretary-General of the House as the principal respondents, while also impleading the 20 MPs whose membership is sought to be cancelled. The respondents include Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Satabdi Roy, Prasun Banerjee, Rachana Banerjee, Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia, Partha Bhowmick, Arup Chakraborty, Adhikari Deepak Dev, Saayoni Ghosh, Bapi Haldar, Md. Abu Tahir Khan, Kalipada Saren Kherwal, Asit Kumar Mal, June Malia, Mitali Bag, Khalilur Rahman, Mala Roy, Sharmila Sarkar, and Yusuf Pathan.
Report – Abhijit Tushar Bhatt (Political Editor)
