The Lok Sabha secretariat has sent disqualification notices to 20 lawmakers from the Trinamool Congress (TMC). They have been given seven days to respond to petitions initiated by TMC floor leader Abhishek Banerjee. This move signifies a significant step in the ongoing tensions within the party as it seeks to address dissent among its members.
The notices, issued on Tuesday, come after the Supreme Court sought a response from Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Banerjee’s plea seeking an expeditious decision on his disqualification petitions. This is the first time individual petitions have been filed for legal purposes. “We are not inclined to issue notices to a constitutional authority without giving them an opportunity. But we want a response from the Speaker. The Constitution, however, allows merger only between political parties.
Banerjee has argued that the 20 lawmakers joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).
“You are requested to kindly furnish your comments on the petition in terms of rule 7(3) within seven days of receipt of this letter for consideration of the Hon’ble Speaker, Lok Sabha,” the notice said. A notice to an MP is the first step to determine disqualification, though the process is long-drawn, according to a senior functionary. “If any question arises as to whether a member of a House has become subject to disqualification under this Schedule, the question shall be referred for the decision of the Chairman or, as the case may be, the Speaker of such House and his decision shall be final, according to the Tenth Schedule. TMC Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek O’Brien said: “Earlier, such applications against more than one MP were clubbed together. The bench said it was not inclined to issue notice to a constitutional authority without first giving the Speaker an opportunity to respond. For now, we will issue notices only to the other respondents,” it said. Part 4(2) of the Tenth Schedule states: “The merger of the original political party of a member of a House shall be deemed to have taken place if, and only if, not less than two-thirds of the members of the legislature party concerned have agreed to such merger.”
