NPF dares Cong to challenge Speaker's ruling in Court

Kohima, Dec 23: The Nagaland peoples' Front (NPF) today challenged the Congress to oppose the ruling of Assembly Speaker on the Congress -- sponsored No Confidence Motion on December 13 if it believes it was 'unconstitutional'.

NPF, the major alliance partner of the ruling DAN, president Shurhozelie in a release here today said the Congress was making unnecessary hue and cry over the Speaker's direction and interim order.

He also ridiculed the Congress for raising the issue at the AICC, with the Home Minister and Union Cabinet, adding that these were not the fora for judicial review of the Speaker's order.

He said the Speaker's decision was final under Paragraph 6 of the Tenth schedule and was subjected to judicial review by High Court and Supreme Court only.

''Let the Congress challenge these orders in the court of law,'' he reiterated.

Regarding the barring of three Independent legislators from voting, he said the Speaker did that on an interim order on the petition filed by himself.

The Independent members had first joined NPF but soon joined the Congress after signing the notice in No Confidence Motion as well as informing the Speaker that they are withdrawing support to the Congress, he said.

On the strength of the DAN Government the NPF President said DAN had 23 Members with 18 from NPF, four from BJP and one Independent, while the Congress had 19 Members with 17 from Congress and two from JD (U) DAN survived the trial of strength on the floor of the house on December 13.

UNI