SHILLONG, Dec 1: The state Assembly on Wednesday issued notices to 10 of the 12 former Congress MLAs, who defected to the Trinamool Congress, asking them to reply to the petition filed by the grand old party seeking their disqualification under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution (anti-defection law).
The MLAs have been given seven days’ time to send their replies.
In the notice sent to Mukul Sangma, Assembly commissioner & secretary wrote: “After careful examination of the petition, the Speaker has directed that a copy of the petition may be forwarded to you for obtaining your comments to the charges as required under Rule 7 (3)(b)…”
Congress Legislature Party leader, Ampareen Lyngdoh, who filed the petition against the 10 MLAs barring Charles Pyngrope and Shitlang Pale, said it was important that the Speaker acted promptly on the petition.
Terming it as a significant moment for the Congress, Lyngdoh said she will submit a petition against Pyngrope and Pale within a day or two.
“The process will move forward in accordance with the law and I am confident that I have justifiable grounds to seek the disqualification of the membership of Dr Mukul Sangma and others,” Lyngdoh said.
She also said she is speaking for the “conscience of others, including the right of the electorate” to ensure that their elected representatives do not make a mockery the country’s democracy.d
