High Court asks Speaker for documents on BSP rebels

The Allahabad High Court on Monday directed Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey to furnish copies of the documents demanded by five MLAs who deserted the BSP along with 33 other legislators in 2003 but later returned it.

The Allahabad High Court on Monday directed Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey to furnish copies of the documents demanded by five MLAs who deserted the BSP along with 33 other legislators in 2003 but later returned it.

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A Lucknow Division Bench of Justices Abdul Mateen and Rajeev Sharma passed the order on a petition by the five MLAs seeking directives to the Speaker to furnish the copies.

The petitioners sought copies of the party-wise list of members of the House after the Allahabad High Court order quashing the decision of then Speaker Keshari Nath Tripathi recognising the split in the BSP and subsequent merger of the rebel outfit with the Samajwadi Party.

They also asked for the directive purportedly issued by the rebel outfit Loktantrik Bahujan Dal's chief whip Yogesh Pratap Singh during the recent Rajya Sabha biennial elections in the state.

The Dal had moved an application before the Speaker seeking disqualification of the five MLAs for alleged violation of the whip during the Rmajya Sabha elections.