Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asked Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee to appear before him on 19 June as he considers a request by a group of rebel MPs seeking recognition as a separate parliamentary faction.
The move comes after 20 rebel Trinamool MPs claimed to have merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India and petitioned the Speaker for recognition as a distinct group in Parliament.
The rebel MPs have already met Birla, while the faction led by Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had sought an appointment to present its position.
Parliamentary sources said the Speaker intends to hear both sides before making a decision, which will be based on the applicable laws and parliamentary rules.
In a letter to Birla, Abhishek Banerjee had argued that a valid merger under the anti-defection law would require both the merger of the political party and the backing of at least two-thirds of its legislators, contending that meeting only one of the conditions would not be sufficient.
Sources had earlier told TNIE that a decision on the rebels MP's plea is expected before Parliament's Monsoon session, which is likely to begin in the third week of July.
The Speaker's decision will be guided by a written opinion from the Union law ministry, which is expected to seek the advice of a senior law officer before submitting its assessment, they added.
