Shimla, June 3
The resignation of the three independent MLAs of the Himachal Vidhan Sabha have been accepted. This was stated by Vidhan Sabha speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania in a media statement, here. ” The same shall be notified soon and with effect from today, the three cease to be members of the 14th Vidhan sabha, informed Pathania.
Noteworthy that the Independent MLAs Hoshiar Singh from Dehra, KL Thakur from Nalagarh and Ashish Sharma from Hamirpur had tendered resignation from posts on March 22 but the speaker did accept the resignation, on March 23, and they joined BJP in Delhi.
After this, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi and Education Minister Rohit Thakur lodged a petition with the Speaker, in which they expressed doubt that the resignation tendered by the trio could not be termed genuine and voluntary, while also questioning the fact that the MLAs elected for 5 years resigned within 15 months. They plead that the MLAs should be tried under ‘Anti Defection law’.
The trio, had also approached the High Court pleading that the acceptance of their resignation was being deliberately delayed by the Speaker of the Himachal Vidhan Sabha and therefore, the court must intervene. They have pleaded the court to issue relevant directions in the matter to the respondent Speaker of the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha. However the three Independent MLAs got a set back as the decision taken by a division bench of Himachal Pradesh was not in their favour. High court said that the order could not be passed directing the speaker to accept their resignation. Since the order by the bench held dissenting directives, therefore it was now heard by a third judge bench.
Also read: https://himachalscape.com/no-immediate-relief-for-independent-mlas-from-himachal-high-court/
” After holding an enquiry on the petition of Jagat Singh Negi and others, i have accepted the resignations,” added Pathania. He also added that the second petition (About Anti defection law) now stands irrelevant. Also all other pending matter in the case shall now become infectious.
Noteworthy that the speaker had given a opportunity for hearing two time, but the trio chose not to attend it, whereafter this matter was pending for a decision.
Stay tuned with us as the detailed order is awaited and shall be updated soon.
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