Don’t allow suspended MNS MLAs to vote: Azmi

Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi on Tuesday opposed decision to allow suspended Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) legislators to vote in the Maharashtra council polls scheduled on June 10.

Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi on Tuesday opposed decision to allow suspended Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) legislators to vote in the Maharashtra council polls scheduled on June 10.

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He also threatened to move court against the decision.

The Business Advisory Committee had last month decided to allow the suspended MLAs to vote.

“They cannot be barred from exercising their constitutional right,” said Harshwardhan Patil, Parliamentary Affairs Minister.

The SP leader has written a letter to the governor, speaker of the Assembly and the principal secretary of the Legislature asking them to prevent the suspended members from voting.

“How can these MLAs be allowed to vote when they are suspended with the consent of the House members?” asked Azmi.

Four MNS MLAs — Shishir Shinde, Ram Kadam, Ramesh Vanjale and Vasant Geete — were suspended for four years on November last after they physically assaulted Azmi for taking oath in Hindi and misbehaved with a woman legislator who tried to intervene.

“Their (MLAs) right to vote stands suspended during the period of suspension. The right to vote is not absolute and hence they should be barred from participating in the polls,” he said.

Azmi said the suspension order mentioned they would not be allowed to enter the premises of the Legislature and yet the state government is making special provision for them to vote outside the premises.