Tribunal reserves order on plea to reject disqualification petitions
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 27 2019: Manipur Legislative Assembly Speaker's Tribunal has reserved the order regarding an application filed by the counsel of Minister Th Shyamkumar, pleading to reject the disqualification petitions filed by Congress party/MLAs on the basis of technical errors.

The decision of the Tribunal came following the hearing of 30 disqualification petitions filed against 8 Congress MLAs who defected from the party and joined BJP, to disqualify them under the 10th Schedule of the Indian Constitution Out of the 30 disqualification petitions, 15 were filed against Minister Th Shyamkumar by Saikot MLA TN Haokip, Wabagai MLA Md Fajur Rahim, Sagolband MLA RK Imo, Tipaimukh MLA Dr Chaltonlien Amo, Saikul MLA Yamthong Haokip, Sugnu MLA K Ranjit, Lilong MLA Md Abdul Nasir, Thangmeiband MLA Kh Joykisan, Karong MLA DD Thaissi, Wangkhei MLA O Henry, Khangabok MLA O Surjakumar, Patsoi MLA AK Mirabai, Ukhrul MLA Alfred Kangnam Arthur and Ningthoukhong MLA K Govindas, as petitioners last year.

Tribunal reserves order on plea to reject disqualification petitions

All the petitions filed against Shyamkumar were clubbed together and during the hearing today, the counsel of the respondent (Th Shyamkumar) submitted that the petitions filed against Shyamkumar have many technical errors and thus pleaded to reject the petitions.

On the other hand, the counsels of the petitioners submitted a copy of the order passed on July 23, by a Single Bench of the High Court of Manipur comprising of Justice Kh Nobin, in connection with the disqualification petition case against Minister Th Shyamkumar filed by Wabagai MLA Md Fajur Rahim and Wangkhem MLA K Meghachandra, as additional affidavit in support of their petitions before the Tribunal.

The Tribunal, after hearing both parties in length, reserved the order of the preliminary objection filed by respondent Minister Shyamkumar till 3 pm of August 3.The hearing of the 15 other disqualification petitions filed by Congress MLAs and some individuals this year against seven other defected Congress MLAs, was held before the Speaker Tribunal today as well.

Three disqualification petitions each, were filed against Wangoi MLA Oinam Lukhoi, Lamlai MLA Ksh Biren, Wangjing Tentha MLA Paonam Brojen, Kumbi MLA Sanasam Bira, while one disqualification petition each was filed against Saitu MLA Ngamthang Haokip, Singhat MLA Ginsuanhau and Kakching MLA Y Surchandra.

The Tribunal clubbed three different disqualification petitions against four defected Congress MLAs into a single one and during the hearing, the counsels of the defected MLAs prayed for four weeks time to file a written objection against the disqualification petitions.

The petitioners' counsels did not raise any objection to the prayer made by the respondents and as such, the case was fixed for further hearing after four weeks.

None of the petitioner Congress MLAs nor the respondents appeared before the Speaker's Tribunal for the hearing and as such they were represented by their respective counsels.

However, some private individual petitioners did appear before the Speaker's Tribunal along with their counsel.