The Lok Sabha Secretariat has issued notices to 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs over petitions filed by party leader Abhishek Banerjee seeking their disqualification under the anti-defection law.
The MPs have been asked to submit their comments within seven days of receiving the notices. The development comes amid an ongoing legal and political dispute over the status of the MPs, who joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).
The notices, dated August 25, were issued under Rule 6 of the Members of Lok Sabha (Disqualification on Ground of Defection) Rules, 1985. The secretariat forwarded copies of Banerjee’s petitions to the MPs and asked them to respond under Rule 7(3) of the same rules.
Abhishek Banerjee’s disqualification plea
Banerjee had filed individual petitions against all 20 MPs on June 18, seeking their disqualification under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.
The move followed the MPs’ decision to join the NCPI. However, they remain officially recognised as TMC members in the Lok Sabha while their request to merge with the NCPI is under consideration.
The issue has also reached the Supreme Court. Banerjee had approached the top court seeking an expeditious decision on the disqualification petitions.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought a response from Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on the matter. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana indicated that the key question was not simply whether notices had been issued, but whether the disqualification proceedings would be completed.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Speaker, told the court that notices had already been issued to the 20 MPs.
What happens next?
The seven-day period gives the rebel MPs an opportunity to present their side before the disqualification proceedings move forward.
A senior official indicated that the notices represent the first stage of the disqualification process and that a final decision is unlikely to be reached immediately.
The development assumes significance as Parliament continues to deal with the political fallout of the TMC split. Ahead of the monsoon session, the 20 MPs were allotted separate seating arrangements in the Lok Sabha, although they continue to be officially listed as TMC members.
The Speaker will ultimately have to consider the petitions and the responses submitted by the MPs before deciding on the disqualification proceedings.
For now, the notices mark a significant step in the dispute and could determine the parliamentary status of the 20 MPs who have moved to the NCPI.
