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Jharkhand: Congress legislator Mamata Devi loses membership post conviction
The case pertains to violence that broke out during a protest led by Devi on August 29, 2016, against a private firm in Gola village of Ramgarh district. Several policemen and civic administration officials were injured during the clash
The Jharkhand assembly on Monday officially disqualified Mamta Devi, a Congress legislator from Ramgarh following her conviction in a criminal case, people aware of the development said.
A special court in Hazaribag district of Jharkhand earlier this month sentenced the Congress legislator and 12 others to five years in prison after they were convicted in a 2016 rioting and attempt to murder case. The case was related to violent protests at Gola in Ramgarh district.
Assembly officials said the secretary issued the disqualification notification on direction from the speaker.
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“The disqualification notification has been issued as per the rules of Representation of People’s Act, 1951 which mandates immediate disqualification of any member who has been convicted and punished with the punishment of two years imprisonment or more,” an official said.
The case pertains to violence that broke out during a protest led by Devi on August 29, 2016, against a private firm in Gola village of Ramgarh district in which several policemen and civic administration officials were injured during the clash while two protestors were killed.
Mamata Devi is the second Congress legislator to be disqualified from the assembly this year after being convicted in a criminal case.
In March, Jharkhand Congress working president and Mandar MLA Bandhu Tirkey was disqualified after being punished with three years imprisonment in a disproportionate assets case.
Before Mamta, five Jharkhand assembly members lost their membership between 2015 and 2018, following their convictions in separate criminal cases. However, Mamta is the first woman legislator in the state to have been convicted in a criminal case.
With 17 legislators in the house of 81, Congress is the second largest ally in the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress- Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) combine. The JMM is the lead partner with 30 members while RJD has one legislator.
