The Congress has said that AAP MLAs had only got an opportunity for a hearing with the Election Commission but as per a Supreme Court verdict on Parliamentary Secretaries the 20 legislators as well as 12 MLAs of the BJP-led coalition government in Manipur stood disqualified.
Amid the ‘office of profit’ row playing out between AAP MLAs and the EC, Congress said its leaders have moved the Manipur high court for disqualification of 12 MLAs belonging of BJP and allies as there were made parliamentary secretaries, which is an Office of Profit.
The Congress also said it would legally pursue the ‘violation of anti-defection law’ when BJP formed the government in Manipur, Arunachal and Goa with the help of defector Congress MLAs.
“Both BJP and AAP are now in the same boat. In Manipur, the BJP government is guilty of the same illegality. 8 BJP MLAs, 3 from NPF and 1 Independent MLA were appointed Parliamentary Secretaries after the last assembly elections. After the Supreme Court order of July 26, 2017, in the case of Bimolangshu Roy Vs State of Assam, appointing people as Parliamentary Secretaries is without legislative competence and therefore any person having held such position must be disqualified. However, all 12 MLAs are continuing in complete violation of the law,” AICC chief spokesperson Sushmita Dev and Manipur Congress leader Gaikhangam has told a news conference in New Delhi on Friday.
They said that the Delhi high court order “is not a victory for AAP MLAs” but a direction to EC to hold fresh proceedings of hearing of case against them under anti-defection law.
“In the most blatant act of illegality and sheer political opportunism, Congress MLA TH Shyamkumar defected just after the announcement of the result and was rewarded by the BJP with an appointment as a minister,” they said.
He has not even resigned and is still continuing as a minister. The Speaker does not even accept a complaint by the Congress to disqualify him on the basis of the anti-defection law. We demand that the 12 BJP MLAs in Manipur resign immediately, as also the 20 AAP MLAs in Delhi.”
Source: The Economic Times