Legal notice served
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 15 2021:
A counter legal notice has been served against a notice that warned of contempt petition against Government authorities pertaining to a recent Supreme Court order which prohibited MLA Yumkham Erabot from receiving monetary benefits.
While, the legal notice warning of contempt petition was served by one Advocate Thokchom Deepak Singh, the later legal notice was served by Counsel of MLA Y Erabot, Longjam Birjit Singh.
As per documents available with this paper, the later legal notice claimed Advocate Thokchom Deepak Singh has misinterpreted the May 6 order of the Supreme Court.
The legal notice against Government authorities which stated that "all the powers and privileges of Shri Yumkham Erabot Singh as MLA of 15-Wangkhei Assembly Constituency has been taken away by the Hon'ble Supreme Court by its order dated 06/05/2021 in Civil Appeal No.1666 of 2021 .
He is now not entitled to any monetary benefits (including Local Area Development Fund) in respect of office of MLA.
The only thing that is entitled to him is to represent the electorate in the house (inside the house) and participate in the debates and nothing else" is a "misleading interpretation" of the Supreme Court order, said the later legal notice.
It clarified that the Supreme Court had passed three directions-- Having been sworn-in as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, Y Erabot shall be entitled to represent the electorate in the house and shall be entitled to participate in the debates; However, he shall not be entitled to cast any vote on the floor of the House or in any committee of the House; and He shall also not be entitled to draw any monetary benefits in respect of the office of Member of the Assembly.
Regarding monetary benefits, the Supreme Court only stopped Y Erabot from drawing salary and allowances as a Member of the Legislative Assembly.
The Court's direction was only limited to his salary and allowances and does not include Local Area Development Fund.
The MLA local area development is a scheme through which the Central Government provides funds to each Constituency for their development and to address their local needs.
A legislature functions as a mediator to invest the money in the welfare of the people of his/her Constituency.
Thus, the MLA local area development fund is not related to "monetary benefit", it claimed.