Time to review 10th Schedule: Ibobi
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 20 2020: Ex-Chief Minister and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Okram Ibobi has asserted that there is a growing need to review the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.

Ibobi made this comment to a query raised by media persons in connection with the Supreme Court ruling which bars Th Shyamkumar from holding any Ministerial post and also from entering the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

Speaking to media persons at his Babupara official residence this morning, Ibobi said, "The Supreme Court, in one judgement, made it clear that there is a need to review the 10th Schedule of the Constitution, and we too share the same view".

Welcoming the recent order passed by the Supreme Court, the ex-Chief Minister said he felt it came a little late.

Nonetheless, Ibobi said that he fully respects the apex Court's order.

Th Shyamkumar was elected from Andro AC on Congress ticket but he jumped to the other camp soon after the election results were declared and went on to become a Minister in the BJP led Government, Ibobi said.

After the State Assembly election of 2017, an application was filed through the Right to Information Act asking the exact position and strength of Congress party.

The Manipur Legislative Assembly replied that the Congress party's total strength was 28 which implied that Th Shyamkumar was still counted as Congress MLA, Ibobi said.

A second RTI application was filed recently raising the same question.

But this time, the State Assembly said that the Congress party's strength is 27.Moreover, the sitting arrangement inside the State Assembly is done in such a manner that the Opposition (Congress) party has still 27 MLAs, Ibobi said.

These conditions are ample evidence for disqualification of Th Shyamkumar under the 10th Schedule from being an MLA, asserted the ex-Chief Minister.

What is happening right now in Madhya Pradesh and what happened in Karnataka sometime back are different from the case of Manipur.

In the cases of Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, MLAs resigned voluntarily with the objective of seeking fresh mandate from the people, he said.

To another query, Ibobi said that the seven Congress MLAs other than Shyamkumar are expected to vote in favour of the Congress candidate in the election for the State's lone Rajya Sabha seat scheduled on March 26.Notably, the particular seven Congress MLAs have been supporting the BJP-led coalition Government.

In case, they don't vote in favour of the Congress candidate, they must face whatever consequences and legal complications arising out of their own action, Ibobi continued.

MPCC once considered about initiating certain disciplinary action against Th Shyamkumar but it was not translated into action.

However, the party did not make any such consideration against the other seven MLAs, he added.

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