Jharkhand Speaker sets up court to hear JVM(P)’s merger under anti-defection law
The JVM (P) witnessed a split after the assembly polls when party chief Marandi decided to return to the BJP after the state poll results and merged his party with the saffron party in February after adopting a resolution at the party’s national convention.
Former Jharkhand chief minister and Rajdhanwar legislator Babulal Marandi is in trouble as Jharkhand assembly Speaker decided to hear the JVM (P) split and merger issue under the anti-defection law.
A case regarding violation of the 10th schedule of the Constitution was lodged against Marandi and two other JVM(P) legislators - Pradeep Yadav and Bandhu Tirkey on Tuesday and the first hearing has been scheduled for November 23.
The lawmakers have been directed to give submission in the Speaker’s court on that day.
Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato ordered to set up the court of hearing after going through their replies against notices that were served on them in August.
The JVM (P) witnessed a split after the assembly polls when party chief Marandi decided to return to the BJP after the state poll results and merged his party with the saffron party in February after adopting a resolution at the party’s national convention.
The BJP named Marandi as its legislature party leader and subsequently the Leader of the Opposition (LoP). However, the Speaker is yet to grant him the status of LoP.
Yadav and Tirkey, who were suspended from JVM(P) before the party’s national convention had convened a meeting of their supporters and merged their group with the Congress.
The Speaker was of the view that the subsequent mergers of the two JVM(P) factions was in violation of the 10th schedule. He said, “A thorough examination is necessary. It would have been wrong in proclaiming judgement without proper hearing.”
Babulal Marandi, however, said the Speaker has adopted the coercion and harassment tactics.
“The party’s merger with the BJP was done with the consent of two third working committee members. The election commission too approved the merger during the Rajya Sabha polls in June this year,” he added.
BJP’s Jharkhand unit president Deepak Prakash said the matter was under Speaker’s purview. He also mentioned that the election commission had ordered the state assembly to consider Marandi as BJP legislator.
Prakash said the Speaker should have decided on the matter then. “It was he who had allowed Marandi to vote as BJP voter,” he said. He said the BJP would take the next step in the matter soon.
Bandhu Tirkey said the provision of 10th schedule would not be applicable in the case involving him and Yadav, as two third of the JVM(P) legislators joined the Congress.
The JVM(P) had won three seats in the Jharkkhand assembly election and the Speaker had made separate seating arrangements for them in the House.
Congress working president Rajesh Thakur said the Speaker is the custodian of state assembly and the party expects that he would take quick decision regarding the mergers.
