Speaker to hear 5 rebel SP MLAs case on July 25

Lucknow, July 17 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh assembly speaker Mata Prasad Pandey today fixed July 25 as the next date of hearing the case related to disqualification of five ruling Samajwadi Party MLAs.

These legislators had voted in favour of the BSP in the recently held Rajya Sabha and legislative council polls.

Submitting their preliminary objections, the counsel of the rebel MLA Kalyan Singh Dohre maintained 10th Schedule of the Constitution does not pertain to the electoral activities.

''Any person has full right to exercise his/her franchise and there is no binding on them'' the counsel maintained.

The speaker fixed July 21 as the last date for filing of final objections by the five MLAs.

During the hearing, the respondent's counsel demanded the copy of the SP whip for the RS polls and documents to prove that these five MLAs had attended a BSP workers meet here on April 30.

The speaker served the notices to five MLAs on June 27 on a petition filed by SP general secretary and state PWD minister Shivpal Singh Yadav, claiming these MLAs had voted in favour of BSP candidates in the recently concluded RS polls in violation of party whip.

The petition also charged these MLAs attended a BSP workers meeting at Ambedkar Maiden on April 30 addressed by Ms Mayawati.

The RS elections, held on March 28, witnessed large number of cross voting by the legislators.

The five rebel SP MLAs include Omvati Devi, Sunder Lal Kuriel, Kamlesh Pathak, Kalyan Singh Dohre and Ratan Lal Ahirwar.

Three MLAs have already submitted their preliminary objection to the petition. Ms Omvati had sought some time, while Kamlesh Pathak was yet to receive the notice. Ahirwar is presently lodged in the Jhansi jail in connection with criminal case.

The speaker had already disqualified assembly membership of five MLAs belonging to Loktrantrik Bahujan Dal (LBD), who had switched over to BSP on March 1. The disqualified LBD members are Jaiveer Singh, Surendra Vikram Singh, Dharampal, Ramji Shukla and Ramkrishna.

UNI MB VS VD BST1815