BHUBANESWAR: In an open show of defiance, the six BJD MLAs on Friday rejected show cause notices issued to them for cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections, terming the action illegal and challenging the party leadership.
According to party sources, the six MLAs Chakramani Kanhar, Naba Kishore Mallick, Souvic Biswal, Subasini Jena, Ramakanta Bhoi and Devi Ranjan Tripathy, who are said to have voted in favour of BJP-backed Independent candidate Dilip Ray in the March 16 Rajya Sabha polls, have, in their replies, described the notices as illegal, arbitrary, baseless and unconstitutional. They have also gone to the extent of threatening legal action against the party chief whip Pramila Mallick if the show cause notices are not withdrawn immediately.
The six MLAs, in identical replies, have said the show cause notice on them violates the Supreme Court judgement on the matter and also goes against the Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines. Stating that party whip does not work in Rajya Sabha elections, the MLAs have said by issuing show cause on them the party chief whip has resorted to an illegal act.
Referring to section 171 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the MLAs said whoever voluntarily interferes or attempts to interfere with the free exercise of any electoral right commits the offence of undue influence at an election.
The BJD had accused them of “gross indiscipline” and “betrayal of trust”, stating that their actions, made evident through the mandatory display of ballots, led to the defeat of the party-backed candidate.
Reacting to the MLAs’ response, Mallick said they should explain why they went against the collective decision of the party to vote for BJD’s second candidate Dr Datteswar Hota. Besides, the MLAs have also given statements against the party leadership thereby indulging in anti-party activities.
Meanwhile, BJD’s disciplinary committee presided over by vice-president Debi Mishra met at Sankha Bhawan here and discussed the action to be taken against the MLAs. Mishra said the committee has decided that disciplinary action will have to be taken against the MLAs for going against the collective decision of the party and public utterances against the leadership.
“The recommendations have been submitted to the party president Naveen Patnaik,” he said.