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SC issues notices on plea against merger of 6 BSP MLAs with Cong
Six MLAs of the BSP had merged with the Congress giving a boost to the Ashok Gehlot government as the tally of the Congress increased to over 100 in the House of 200 MLAs.
The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to Rajasthan assembly Speaker, assembly secretary and the six Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLAs who merged with the Congress in September 2019, over two separate petitions.
The bench of Justices S Abdul Nazeer and KM Joseph was hearing two petitions filed by BSP, and BJP MLA Madan Dilawar against the August 24 last year order passed by the state high court. The high court had dismissed BSP’s petition against the September 18, 2019 order passed by the Assembly Speaker approving the merger.
Senior advocate Satish Chandra Mishra, appearing for BSP, said that the merger of the six MLAs with Congress cannot be recognised as past rulings of the SC have clearly held that for this to be true, there should be a split in the party at the national level. “Only then, one-third of party members can merge with any political party,” Mishra said.
“We will issue notice,” the bench said while seeking responses, including from the Assembly secretary as well as the six MLAs.
Six MLAs of the BSP had merged with the Congress giving a boost to the Ashok Gehlot government as the tally of the Congress increased to over 100 in the House of 200 MLAs.
