Repeating: adding matter in para 4

New Delhi, Sep 1 (UNI) The Supreme Court today refused to give an early date of hearing to the four Samajwadi Party ex-MLAs from Uttar Pradesh who have challenged their disqualification by the Assembly Speaker on August 19, 2006 for voting against the party whip during the Rajya Sabha elections.

Counsel for the petitioners pleaded before the bench headed by Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal that the petitioners were fully covered by the recent constitution bench of the court in Kuldeep Nayar's case in which the apex court has held that voting against party whip in Rajya Sabha elections shall not lead to disqualification of an MLA or MP.

The five-judge bench had also held that such act of cross-voting during Rajya Sabha elections can lead to disciplinary action by the political party concerned.

The court, however, felt there was no urgency in the matter and it should come up in normal course. The disqualified MLAs are Omwati, Sundarlal, Ratanlal Ahirwal and Kalyan Singh Dohre.

Five other MLAs belonging to breakaway group of BSP have also been disqualified as MLAs for the same offence.

UNI AKS SC SY RP RS1550