GUWAHATI: Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh has issued notices to 10 of the 12 Congress turncoats, seeking their comments on a disqualification petition filed against them by the grand old party.
The 12 MLAs, led by former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, who had defected to Trinamool Congress (TMC) last week, were given seven days to reply.
"Notices have been issued to all 10 MLAs including All India Trinamool Congress legislature party leader Mukul Sangma following a petition by Congress MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh seeking their disqualification under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India," Assembly Commissioner and Secretary Andrew Simon told PTI.
State Congress leader and MLA, Ampareen Lyngdoh filed the disqualification petition against the 10 legislators. A similar petition will be filed against the remaining two.
“After careful examination of the petition, the Speaker has directed that a copy of the petition may be forwarded to you for obtaining your comments to the charges as required under Rule 7 (3)(b)...,” the notice issued to Sangma reads.
Lyngdoh said the petition was filed to ensure their elected representatives do not make a mockery of democracy.
Congress had 17 MLAs and the defection of 12 makes TMC the principal opposition party.
Ampareen Lyngdoh, who was elected the Congress legislature party leader following the switch over of 12 party MLAs to TMC, moved the speaker for their disqualification from the House on various counts under the tenth schedule of the Constitution and Rule 6 of The Members of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on ground of defection) Rules, 1988.
Mukul Sangma had led a political coup on November 25 in which he and 11 other Congress MLAs deserted the party and merged with AITC making it the principal opposition party in the 60-member House.
Ampareen Lyngdoh contended that she had lodged complaints against 10 MLAs barring AITC state president Charles Pyngrope and Shitlang Pale.
Petitions against them will also be submitted within a day or two.
The senior Congress leader thanked the speaker for the notices his office issued on Wednesday.
She said, "It is important for us that the office of the speaker has acted promptly on my petition. The process will move forward in accordance with the law and I am confident that the I have justifiable grounds to seek their disqualification."
(With PTI Inputs)