SC dismisses Haryana MLAs' petitions

New Delhi, Dec 11 (UNI) The Supreme Court today dismissed six Haryana MLAs' petitions challenging their disqualification by State Assembly Speaker under the anti-defection law.

A Bench comprising of Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justices C K Thakkar and P K Balasubramanyan dismissed the petitions of Jagjit Singh, Bhim Sen Mehta, Devraj Dewan, Karan Singh Dalal, Jai Prakash and Rajinder Singh Bisla, who had defected to Congress after the 2004 assembly elections.

The apex court said the petitions were devoid of merit as their total strength was less than the requisite strength and hence their act of changing the party cannot be called as split and therefore, they were liable to be disqualified under the provisions of the anti-defection law.

Earlier, the court had stayed the Speaker's order disqualifying the petitioners.

UNI AKS SC SY BD1804