By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 22: State Assembly Speaker, Metbah Lyngdoh on Wednesday said the two disqualification petitions filed by the Congress against 12 MLAs are still under examination.
The dozen Congress MLAs had recently “merged” themselves with the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC).
Asked about the delay in pronouncing his judgement, the Speaker told The Shillong Times that it is a process and he has to follow the rules.
“According to rules, a notice has to be served on the 12 members and they should be given a chance to clarify their stand on the petitions,” Lyngdoh said.
Confirming that they have filed their replies, he said the office of the Speaker will take its own time to examine the matter.
“Whatever decision is made should be genuine,” he said.
Congress Legislature Party leader, Ampareen Lyngdoh, along with four party MLAs, had filed the two petitions – the first against ten MLAs and the second against two MLAs.
The Congress claims there have been lapses in the merger of the MLAs with the AITC. The MLAs, however, believe they followed all provisions of the Tenth Schedule to the Constitution (anti-defection law) and other procedures as they defected to the AITC.