Constitution bench to hear petitions of 11 expelled MPs in Sept

New Delhi, Aug 4 (UNI) The Supreme Court today directed that its five-judge constitution bench will hear the petitions of 11 expelled Members of Parliament for their alleged involvement in cash-for-query scam in September this year.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice C K Thakker issued the directions when the matter came up for hearing before the court.

The petitioners, including a Rajya Sabha MP, have challenged their expulsion after they were caught taking bribe on tv cameras in a sting operation conducted by a private news channel.

According to petitioners, there is no provision in the constitution to expel a sitting MP and Article 105 of the Constitution of India only talks of disqualification.

The petitioners -- Raja Ram Pal, Suresh Chandel, Pradeep Gandhi, Yashwant Giridhar Mahajan, Annasaheb M K Patil, Chandra Pal Singh, Manoj Kumar n another, Ram Sevak Singh and Lal Chandra Kol -- are Lok Sabha MPs while Dr Chhatrapal Singh Lodha is the lone Rajya Sabha MP expelled due to scam.

The apex court had already directed the Election Commission of India not to hold by-elections to the constituencies which have fallen vacant due to expulsion of petitioners without prior permission of the court.

The petition filed by former MP Sakshiji Maharaj, challenging his removal from Rajya Sabha, is also being heard alongwith these petitions.

UNI AKS/SC VA HT1720