HC dismisses LBD petition

Lucknow, June 6 (UNI) The Allahabad High Court today dismissed a petition that alleged Uttar Pradesh assembly speaker Mata Prasad Pandey had failed -- despite a court order -- to provide Loktrantrik Bahujan Dal (LBD) MLA Surendra Vikram Singh and others with documents solicited by them.

A Lucknow bench comprising Justices Abdul Matin and Rajiv Sharma passed the order on a writ filed by Mr Singh.

The vacation bench observed since the case was pending before the Supreme Court, it would not be proper to pass any judgement at this stage.

Additional chief standing counsel Jaideep Narain Mathur had opposed the writ saying it was sub-judice before the apex court.

Yesterday, the assembly speaker had reserved his verdict on disqualification of five MLAs, who had rejoined the BSP leaving the LBD on March 1 last.

These MLAs were also demanding the current party position list in the UP assembly and party-wise electoral rolls used during the biennial Rajya Sabha polls on March 28.

The five MLAs -- Jaiveer Singh, Surendra Vikram Singh, Ramji Shukla, Ram Krishna and Dharampur -- had already submitted their preliminary objections on the petition of disqualification filed by (LBD) chief whip Yogesh Pratap Singh on their disqualification from the assembly for violating the whip.

In the preliminary objections, the MLAs claimed there was no existance of LBD.

On May 5, the SC had turned down the plea of the MLAs to prevent the speaker from hearing their case.

The Five MLAs had rejoined the BSP on March 1 after the Allahabad HC had quashed the split and merger of the 40 member LBD in September 2003.

These 40 MLAs leaving BSP had formed the LBD and later joined the ruling Samajwadi Party.

UNI XC/VS PA GC1930