Case of five MSCP MLAs joining Cong Court prohibits interference
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 03 2014:
Noting that Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) still exists with Adim Panmei as its president even though five MSCP MLAs and the then party president defected to Congress a few months back, the Court of Civil Judge, Senior Division II issued an interim order on May 5 asking all concerned not to make undue interference so that the party's affairs can be carried out without any hassles.
Meanwhile, Adim Panmei has submitted a written application to the Manipur Legislative Assembly seeking disqualification of the five MSCP MLAs who defected to Congress sometime back.
A source, while speaking to The Sangai Express that though an announcement that the five MSCP MLAs had joined the Congress was delivered, the Assembly Secretariat is yet to issue a bulletin declaring them as Congress MLAs.
MPCC president Gaikhangam while addressing a press meet at Congress Bhavan on March 3 this year announced that MSCP leaders and the party's five MLAs had merged with Congress.
The five MSCP MLAs are RK Imo (Sagolband A/C), Paonam Brojen (Wangjing-Tentha A/C), Nemcha Kipgen (Kangpokpi A/C), Janghemlung Panmei (Tamenglong A/C) and Karam Thamarjit (Keirao A/C) .
On the other hand, Adim Panmei claimed that the party's executive committee was still intact even though the five party MLAs and some leaders joined the INC.
Out of the party's 15 central committee members, seven joined the INC together with the five MLAs.
As such, it was not a case of the whole party merging with INC.
Rather, it was just one faction of MSCP merging with INC.
As eight central committee members, district presidents and women wing presidents are still with the party, the word merger was not appropriate in this particular case.
Highlighting all these points, Adim Panmei filed a petition at the Court of Civil Judge, Senior Division II seeking an interim order which endorses the independent status of MSCP.
Subsequent upon the petition, the Court issued an interim order on May 5 directing all concerned not to make undue interference in the managements affairs of MSCP headed by Adim Panmei as president.
Together with a copy of this interim order, Adim Panmei filed a written application to the Manipur Legislative Assembly Speaker seeking disqualification of the five Congress MLAs who were elected on MSCP tickets.
Acting on the application, the Assembly Secretary issued a notice on June 20 seeking all documents related to the application within four weeks, Adim Panmei said.
On the other hand, Manipur Pradesh Trinamool Congress president Th Shyamkumar filed an application to the Speaker seeking disqualification of MLAs Kh Joykisan and Th Bishwajit under Para 2 (1)(A) of the Anti-Defection Law on June 28 .
Sources informed that the Speaker has initiated due process of disqualification.