Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on Thursday disqualified all the six Congress MLAs who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls from the House. The Speaker said that the six rebel MLAs had defied the whip issued by Congress Party.
Pronouncing the judgment on Thursday, the Speaker said, “Six MLAs, who contested on Congress symbol, attracted provisions of anti-defection law against themselves,” adding, “I declare that the six people cease to be members of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly with immediate effect.”
With the disqualification of the six rebel legislators, ruling Congress’ strength comes down to 34 from 40, just two more than the majority mark, in the 68-member Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
The judgment comes on a petition filed by Congress MLA and parliamentary affairs Minister Harsh Wardhan Chauhan under anti-defection law for disqualification of the six MLAs after they cross-voted for in the Tuesday Rajya Sabha polls.
