Speaker adopts wait and watch policy on dual posts

SHILLONG: Assembly Speaker A.T. Mondal has adopted a cautious approach on the issue related to dual-post holders.
Speaking over phone from Phulbari on Sunday, Mondal said he had not received any complaints against the dual-post holders to disqualify them.
The Speaker is yet to come into picture as far as the issue of disqualification of MLAs who were holding the posts of MDCs is concerned since the High Court had only asked the Governor to take a decision in this regard.
The Division Bench of the High Court had referred the matter to the Full Bench during the last hearing held on Friday.
The matter will come up for hearing in the Full Bench on Wednesday.
The Speaker said that he was waiting for the outcome of the High Court order on the pending PIL on dual posts.
However, he indicated that the Governor has already given assent to the Bill on dual posts and it has become an Act.
The Speaker, however, made it clear that the Bill was brought not to victimize anyone as the only concern of the Government was that a PIL in this regard was pending in the High Court and the Government had to take a decision.
‘KHADC CEM staring at
disqualification’
KHADC Chief Executive Member and Congress legislator Pynshngain N Syiem stands disqualified in principle as the Bill on dual posts took effect from October 1 whereas Syiem is still holding both the posts.
A legal expert said on Sunday that though the Meghalaya Governor gave assent to the Bill    on dual posts only on October 8, the Bill took retrospective effect from October 1 and moreover, Syiem is still holding the dual posts. In principal, Syiem is facing disqualification, the expert said.
All the other seven MLAs who were holding the dual posts have quit the posts of MDCs with the exception of the KHADC chief.