NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud Wednesday assured the counsel for Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra that he would take a call on the urgent listing of her plea challenging her expulsion from the Lok Sabha.
The TMC leader on Monday approached the top court against her expulsion after the Lower House of Parliament adopted a report by its ethics committee that held her guilty of accepting gifts and illegal gratification from a businessman to further his interests.
A CJI-led bench took note of the submissions of senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, counsel for Moitra, and Chandrachud said he would look into the listing aspect at lunch during the day.
"This is a member being expelled from the Lok Sabha," Singhvi said.
"The matter may not have been registered. If an email was sent, then I would look at it right away. Please send it," the CJI said.
Earlier in the day, Singhvi mentioned Moitra's plea before a bench headed by senior-most judge Justice S K Kaul as the CJI was heading a Constitution bench.
"The CJI will take the call," Justice Kaul told Singhvi then.
On December 8, after a heated debate in the Lok Sabha over the panel report during which Moitra was not allowed to speak, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved a motion to expel the TMC MP from the House for "unethical conduct" which was adopted by a voice vote.
Reacting sharply to her expulsion, Moitra had equated the action with hanging by a "kangaroo court" and alleged that a parliamentary panel was being weaponised by the government to force the opposition into submission.