State assembly speaker Y Khemchand Singh disqualified BJP MLA Thounaojam Shyamkumar Singh from the assembly on Saturday on the grounds of defection under the 10th schedule of the Constitution. Nearly three years ago, in 2017, at least 15 Congress MLAs had petitioned the Speaker seeking Shyamkumar’s disqualification for jumping ship to the BJP after winning on Congress ticket.
The Speaker’s decision to disqualify Shyamkumar came after the Supreme Court had, on January 21, expressed its strong disapproval to the delay by the Speaker in deciding the disqualification petitions filed by Congress MLAs. The top court had eventually passed an order on March 18, restraining Shyamkumar from entering the state assembly and also directing that he shall cease to be a minister in the BJP government. Shyamkumar was a minister of town planning, forest and environment. Shyamkumar had resigned from the house on March 26 after the Supreme Court order.
“...it is established beyond doubt that the respondent had voluntarily given up the membership of the Indian National Congress… I, therefore, hold that the respondent Shri Thounaojam Shyamkumar, Member of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, 7-Andro Assembly Constituency, Manipur, had incurred disqualification for being a member of the Manipur Legislative Assembly,” the Speaker said on Saturday.
In 2017 Manipur assembly elections, the Congress party had emerged as the single-largest party by securing 28 seats in the 60-seat assembly. However, the BJP, with 21 seats, moved in to stake its claim in an alliance with the Naga People’s Front, Nationalist People’s Party and the Lok Janshakti Party.
{{/usCountry}}In 2017 Manipur assembly elections, the Congress party had emerged as the single-largest party by securing 28 seats in the 60-seat assembly. However, the BJP, with 21 seats, moved in to stake its claim in an alliance with the Naga People’s Front, Nationalist People’s Party and the Lok Janshakti Party.
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