Manipur high court directs Speaker to adjudicate on JD-U MLAs disqualification plea

IMPHAL: The Manipur high court has directed the Speaker of the Manipur assembly to adjudicate on a plea seeking disqualification of five JD-U MLAs.

The order was passed by a bench of Manipur high court, led by chief justice Siddharth Mridul and comprising justice Golmei Gaiphulshillu Kabui.

The directive issued on Monday (July 01), ordered the Speaker of the Manipur legislative assembly to adjudicate on a petition seeking the disqualification of five Janata Dal-United (JD-U) MLAs, who had defected to join the BJP, the principal coalition partner in Manipur’s ruling government.

The JD-U's Manipur unit, which secured six seats in the last assembly elections, filed a fresh petition urging the Speaker to disqualify these MLAs under anti-defection laws.

Following the February-March 2022 elections, five JD-U MLAs merged with the BJP legislature party, bolstering the ruling government's strength to 37 in the 60-member Manipur assembly.

The Congress, the primary opposition in Manipur, previously filed a disqualification petition against these MLAs in September 2022.

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However, on December 13, 2023, the JD-U submitted a renewed petition under constitutional provisions, seeking disqualification based on their defection under the tenth schedule of the Indian Constitution.

During the court proceedings, Lenin Hijam, advocate general of Manipur, cited relevant legal precedents, including a Supreme Court decision, emphasizing the Speaker's obligation to address disqualification petitions.

The Manipur high court accepted this assurance, disposing of the writ petition while allowing the petitioner the liberty to revive it if necessary.

Maisnam Dorendro Singh, secretary general of JD-U, sought multiple reliefs through the petition, including a mandamus directing the Speaker to register and decide on the disqualification case expeditiously, referencing a Supreme Court order mandating a timeframe for such decisions.

The MLAs in question who joined the BJP include Khumukcham Joykisan Singh, Ngursanglur Sanate, Achab Uddin, Thangjam Arunkumar Singh, and LM Khaute, with Muhammad Abdul Nasir as the sixth MLA from the Lilong constituency.