In connection with Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee’s petition in the Supreme Court against rebel (now NCPI) MPs seeking their disqualifications, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has issued notices to the 20 MPs, seeking their response within seven days.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Supreme Court sought the response of 20 rebel TMC MPs on a plea filed by Abhishek Banerjee, challenging the delay in deciding the party’s petitions seeking their disqualification.
A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued notices to the 20 MPs on Banerjee’s plea urging the court to ask the Lok Sabha Speaker to expeditiously decide the disqualification pleas pending before him. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Secretary General of the House, informed the bench that the Speaker has already issued notices to the 20 MPs on the disqualification petitions filed by the TMC under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.Responding to the submission, Justice Joymalya Bagchi said, “It is not a question of issuing notices; it is a question of concluding the proceedings within a time frame.”The TMC has accused the 20 MPs of abandoning the party and subsequently joining the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).
Banerjee has contended that their conduct attracts disqualification under the anti-defection provisions of the Constitution. The petition has arrayed the Lok Sabha Speaker and the House Secretary General as the principal respondents in the petition, while also impleading the 20 MPs whose disqualification is being sought.
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, Sayani Ghosh, Bapi Haldar, Md Abu Taher Khan, Kalipada Saren Kherwal, Asit Kumar Mal, June Maliah, Mitali Bag, Khalilur Rahaman, Mala Roy, Sharmila Sarkar and Yusuf Pathan.
