Decision on three ex-Cong MLAs valid: Speaker

SHILLONG, Oct 23: Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma on Wednesday said that after consultation with the advocate general, his decision on the disqualification petitions against three former Congress MLAs was found valid.
“I gave my ruling but they are appealing again. After consultation, my ruling was found valid. I am standing my ground,” he told The Shillong Times.
Asked if that means the disqualification petition of the three MLAs has been rejected, he said, “Their appeal was not entertained and it has been communicated to them by my commissioner secretary.”
Earlier, Sangma referred the petitions against the three MLAs who joined the NPP to the state’s advocate general for an opinion.
Ronnie V Lyngdoh, the lone Congress MLA, had filed the disqualification petitions against Celestine Lyngdoh, Charles Marngar, and Gabriel Wahlang with a 14-day deadline for the Speaker to act on them.
Ronnie Lyngdoh said, “He (Speaker) did not reject the appeal but said there was some defect in the way we filed it. He has given us 10 more days. The letter that we must resubmit was issued by the Speaker on October 15.”
He said the Speaker found fault with the clubbing together of the petition against Marngar and Wahlang. “He said we should file separately and we are doing that,” he added.
Asked if they will approach the court if the revised appeals are rejected, he said, “Exactly!”