Himachal Vidhan Sabha reserves decision on disqualification petition against six Cong MLAs for alleged defection

Shimla, Feb 28

Himachal Pradesh Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania reserved the decision in the petition for disqualification moved by Congress Vidhyak Dal yesterday for defying the Congress legislators party whip twice during discussion on the finance or Money bills leading to short of quorum yesterday. This was informed by Yashpal Sharma, secretary Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha.

The MLAs involved are Rajinder Rana, Sudhir Sharma, Ravi Thakur, Inderdut Lakhanpal, Chetanya Sharma and Devinder Bhutto. It has been alleged that they violated the whip issued by the Congress party twice, due to which their membership  may be disqualified under the Anti defection law laid in the tenth schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Sharma informed that matter was filed before the house on Tuesday, as notices were served to the six concerned MLAs. The same were received by them after which the hearing was held on Wednesday from 4PM to around 6:30PM.” Senior Advocate Kamat represented the Congress legislative party and Senior advocate Satpal Jain represented the six MLAs. After hearing the arguments by senior counsels of both parties, the decision was reserved by the speaker, stated Sharma.

Resultant the cross voting Abhishek Manu Singhvi of Congress party lost the Rajya Sabha polls. Both contesting candidates got 34 votes each, and later the decision had to be taken through a draw of a slip, in which luck favoured BJP, which won.

After this today morning the BJP legislative party leaders including former BJP president Satpal Singh Satti, Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur, senior members of legislative assembly Anil Sharma, Randhir Sharma, Hans Raj and others met Guv around 0730 hrs . The party spokesperson said that BJP MLAs demanded division of vote in the house on the financial bill.

However later in the day after the house convened house a suspension proposal was moved by Parliamentary affairs Minister Harsh Vardhan Chauhan, which was passed by voice vote n the house. Resultant 15 MLAs of the BJP were suspended, after which the State government approved the 2024-25 budget and whereafter speaker adjourned the house a day ahead of the scheduled adjournment.

The Anti defection law has been included in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution in 1985 by the 52nd Amendment Act. It lays down the process by which legislators may be disqualified on grounds of defection by the Presiding Officer of a legislature based on a petition by any other member of the House. The law applies to both Parliament and state assemblies.