Disqualification case : Further hearing after Budget Session
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 11 2020:
The hearing of 15 different election petitions filed against 7 MLAs who were elected on Congress tickets but later switched 'allegiance' to the BJP, was held before the Speaker's Tribunal today, which fixed the next hearing at a later date after the conclusion of the coming Budget Session.
During the proceeding today, some of the private petitioners were present before the Speaker's Tribunal.
However, none of the petitioner MLAs and respondents were present and they were only represented by their respective counsels.
The counsels of the seven Cong MLAs filed preliminary objection applications along with a prayer for rejecting the petition while the counsels of the petitioners prayed for some time to submit their reply before the Tribunal.
They also prayed for time to file additional documents in support of the election petitions.
Providing the copy of the preliminary objection reports filed by the Cong MLAs and additional documents to the counsels of Cong MLAs, the Speakers' Tribunal directed both parties to submit their objection reports before the end of the coming State Assembly Budget Session so as to initiate further proceeding of the case after the Budget Session.
The Speaker's Tribunal further directed the Cong MLAs to submit their written statement/objection to the election petitions, before the conclusion of the Session.
It may be mentioned that 15 different petitions were filed against Wangoi AC MLA Oinam Lukhoi, Lamlai MLA Ksh Biren, Wangjing Tentha MLA Paonam Brojen, Kumbi AC MLA Sanasam Bira, Saitu MLA Ngamthang Haokip, Singhat MLA Ginsuanhau and Kakching AC MLA Yengkhom Surchandra, demanding their disqualification under the 10th Schedule of the Constitution Out of 15 petitions, 3 cases each were filed against Wangoi AC MLA Oinam Lukhoi, Lamlai MLA Ksh Biren, Wangjing Tentha MLA Paonam Brojen and Kumbi AC MLA Sanasam Bira by Congress MLAs Kangujam Ranjit, Okram Henry, Konthoujam Govindas, Khumukcham Joykisan and eight other private petitioners while one case each was filed against Saitu MLA Ngamthang Haokip, Singhat MLA Ginsuanhau and Kakching AC MLA Yengkhom Surchandra by Congress MLAs K Meghachandra, Surjakumar Okram and DD Thaisii.