The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) while welcoming the disqualification of 20 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators of Delhi by the President of India, Ram Nath Kobind, sought similar action against 12 former parliamentary secretaries, who were appointed by State Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
“MPCC has also been seeking disqualification of 12 BJP MLAs for holding office of profit. Chief Minister N Biren Singh last year appointed 12 BJP MLAs as parliamentary secretaries to accommodate them,” MPCC president T N Haokip told reporters in Imphal adding, “We welcome the disqualification of the 20 AAP legislators of Delhi for holding office of profit by becoming parliamentary secretaries.”
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Notably, State Chief Secretary R R Rashmi through separate orders issued in July and October last year discontinued the appointments of the 12 parliamentary secretaries.
In a petition to the State Governor Najma Heptulla in October last year, the MPCC had demanded disqualification of the 12 MLAs. The Congress petition cited several Supreme Court rulings, to validate their demand.
“As the AAP MLAs are disqualified all the parliamentary secretaries appointed in the country should also be disqualified. There should be one law and one rule for all. We are hoping Manipur’s parliamentary secretaries will also be disqualified,” the MPCC president added.
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In addition to the MPCC petition, an Imphal-based social activist, R K Joysana Singh had filed a separate petition in the Manipur High Court of Manipur in May last year, praying for disqualification of the 12 parliamentary secretaries.
During the hearing of the petition the Biren Singh Government while praying for early disposal of the case had submitted the two orders that discontinued appointment of the parliamentary secretaries.
The petitioner had, however, objected to the prayer.