Supreme Court stops Manipur minister facing disqualification from entering Assembly
The court resorted to this drastic step after noting that Speaker Y Khemchand Singh failed to decide the disqualification petition pending against Thounaojam Shyamkumar Singh.
In a landmark order, the Supreme Court on Wednesday restrained Manipur minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar Singh from entering the Legislative Assembly.
The bench headed by Justice Rohinton Nariman also ordered that Singh, who defected to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Congress, will cease to be a minister from immediate effect.
The court resorted to this drastic step after noting that Speaker Y Khemchand Singh failed to decide the disqualification petition pending against Singh within the four-week period stipulated by the top court.
The court had observed in a case in January this year that the Speaker can’t sit on a disqualification petition indefinitely. The court emphasised that it is essential for the Speaker to decide on the matter within a reasonable time period.
The court had also said that elected Members of Parliament or the legislative assemblies should not be allowed to continue, if they have been disqualified on issues such as anti-defection.
Singh was expelled from Congress for six years after he crossed over to the BJP.
Singh was elected on Congress ticket from Andro constituency in Imphal East district.
The Congress had won 28 seats in 2017 Manipur Assembly election and BJP got 21. BJP aligned with National People’s Party (NPP) along with Singh from the Congress who later became a minister. The Congress filed an application of disqualification against him but Speaker did not take any action, post which a writ petition was filed.