Rajasthan HC Issues Notice To Speaker, Six BSP MLAs To Reply By August 11 Over Merger With Congress

BJP legislator Madan Dilawar filed plea against the Speaker CP Joshi's decision to reject his complaint against the merger of six BSP MLAs into Congress

Photo: AFP

Rajasthan High Court on Thursday issued notice to state Assembly Speaker C P Joshi and six Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLAs asking them to file reply by August 11  in connection with the merger of the BSP MLAs with Congress party in Rajasthan. The High Court bench of Justice Mahendra Kumar Goyal on Thursday heard the plea filed by a Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Madan Dilawar against the Speaker CP Joshi's decision to reject his complaint against the merger of six BSP MLAs into Congress. In 2018 Assembly elections, six BSP MLAs including Sandeep Yadav, Wajib Ali, Deepchand Kheria, Lakhan Meena, Jogendra Awana and Rajendra Gudha securing a whopping victory in polls following which, the group of six joined the Congress party in September 2019. On this, Madan earlier this year in March filed a complaint before Joshi against the merger of the MLAs. Madan alleged that merger by the MLAs of BSP party was complete violation the anti-defection law. However, his plea was junked away by the Speaker on July 24. On this, Madan filed a writ petition in court against the Speaker's decision. Madan in his complaint alleged that the Speaker did not hear his while making his decision. Meanwhile, BSP on Sunday issued a Whip to its six MLAs who are elected to Rajasthan Assembly, directing them to vote against Congress in any "No Confidence Motion" or any proceedings to be held during Rajasthan Assembly Session. Any violation will lead to their disqualification. The press note mentioned that all the six MLAs have been issued a separate notice wherein they have been informed that since BSP is a recognised national party as such there can not be any merger at the state level at the instance of six MLAs unless there is a merger of the entire BSP everywhere at the national level which admittedly as not been done in the present case. ALSO WATCH | HC issues notice to Rajasthan speaker, 6 BSP MLAs for merging with Cong