SC stays orders for byelections in 10 LS seats

New Delhi, Apr 3: The Supreme Court today stayed till further orders the byelections to 10 Lok sabha seats which had fallen vacant following expulsion of MPs involved in the cash-for-query scam.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal and Mr Justice C K Thakker directed the application of the Election Commission seeking permission to hold byelections to these Lok Sabha seats be listed after summer vacations when the court reopens on July 3.

Ten members were expelled from the Lok sabha on Decenber 23 last year after having been caught on camera taking money for raising questions in parliament during a sting operation carried out by a private news channel.

Earlier, counsel for the EC S Muralidharan submitted before the court that byelections to the 10 LS seats in six states must be held within six months from the date they fell vacant. It is a statutory requirement. The six-months deadline expires on June 22.

Mr Muralidharan told the court that the EC proposed to hold the polls to these seats in May.

Attorney General Milon K Banerjee appearing for the Centre strongly supported the prayer of the EC.

Lok sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee has already taken the stand not to appear before the court contending that the decision of the speaker cannot be a subject matter of judicial scrutiny.

Dr K S Chauhan, counsel for expelled MP Raja Ram pal, however, opposed the application of the EC.

The application was moved by the EC on Saturday in terms of the courts order dated March 2 which directed the EC not to hold the byelections without permission from the apex court.

UNI