Speaker Kuldeep Pathania accepts the resignation of 3 independent MLAs
In an order passed on resignation tendered by the trio on March 23 Monday, the speaker said that not taking a harsh view and accepting the volunteers he decided that they would no longer be members of the 14th assembly, and the decision of Speakers was also conveyed to them.
He said that another petition moved by Congress MLA Jagat Singh Negi and Harshvardhan Chauhan to invoke anti-defection law against the trio was yet pending before him and shall be considered infructuous now.
Replying to a media query about the delay in accepting their resignation he said that two months was the minimum for a Speaker the geniuses of such an application and a complaint was also filed against them which made him compulsory to conduct an inquiry if the resignation was genuine and voluntary. He said that after a few days of submitting of application for resignation trio also moved to the High Court of Himachal Pradesh seeking direction to him or accept their resignation.
There was no stay on me to accept the resignation however, the matter is still pending before the High Court to take a final view of a third judge. He said that now the matter would be listed by Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao before the new bench comprising three judges. He said that the high court had not made his party in the matter and being the speaker he couldn’t be directed by the speaker to accept or reject the resignation.
He said that he heard all the concerned people in the matter before passing this order to accept their resignation. He said that he considers their actions voluntary as they appear before him and Secretary Vidhan Sabha demanded that they no longer want to continue as members of the legislative assembly.
It is worthwhile to mention that the Speaker said that during the previous hearing, he asked the three members to appear before them but they didn’t join the proceedings of the complaint and their resignation therefore this matter was scheduled and pending for today.
