Ex IPS officer-in-charge of former PM Indira Gandhi’s security disqualified as Independent MLA

In 1988, Lalduhoma had been the first MP to be disqualified under the anti-defection law

Updated on: Nov 27, 2020, 20:54:57 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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A former IPS officer, who was in charge of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s security, was disqualified on Friday as a member of Mizoram assembly under the anti-defection law.

File photo: Lalduhoma. (Mizoram assembly official website)

Mizoram Assembly Speaker Lalrinliana Sailo disqualified Lalduhoma, who was elected from Serchhip as an Independent candidate in 2018 polls, for defecting to Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM).

“After a thorough study of the case and hearing the statements from the respondent (Lalduhoma) and the petitioner, it is clearly verified that the MLA has joined ZPM in theory and practice, which the respondent himself declared in his declaration on September 9,” news agency PTI quoted Sailo.

Incidentally, the 71-year-old had been disqualified from Lok Sabha in 1988, the first MP to be disqualified under the anti-defection law for giving up membership of the Congress, the party he represented in Lok Sabha.

With Friday’s development, Lalduhoma becomes the first MLA in Mizoram to be disqualified under the anti-defection law.

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In September, 12 members of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) had filed petitions with the assembly Speaker seeking Lalduhoma’s disqualification for violating the anti-defection law.

In 2018, Laldumoha had won from two seats, Serchhip and Aizawl West-1, where he had defeated incumbent chief minister Lalthanhawla of Congress. He had given up the Aizawl West 1 seat and retained Serchhip.

Seven different political parties formed the ZPM and contested the polls in 2018. The group won seven seats becoming the principal opposition in the assembly. With Lalduhoma’s disqualification, the ZPM now has six members in the 60 member house.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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