UP Assembly yet to notify SC disqualification of 13 MLAs

Lucknow, Feb 16 (UNI) The Uttar Pradesh assembly is yet to notify the disqualification of the 13 MLAs as per the direction of the Supreme Court Constitution Bench.

State principal secretary (Assembly) A N Mittal said notification for disqualification of the 13 MLAs is yet to be made as the assembly secretariat was still awaiting for the certified copy of the SC directive.

''We are awaiting the copy of the SC directive and will act accordingly,'' he said.

The Secretariat being closed today for 'Maha Shivratri', the notification is likely to be issued next week, he said.

Asked if the Assembly will go for recovery of salary and other perks from the MLAs, the official said ''we have to read the judgement before taking any such action.'' Meanwhile, Governor T V Rajeswar, who was to share the dias with Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today at a convocation function of Kanpur University, cancelled his visit to the city.

Political observers feel the Governor would send his report to the Centre only after the assembly notifies the SC ruling.

After resignation of six Ministers yesterday, who had been disqualified by the Supreme Court, now eyes are set on the future of the remaining 24 MLAs of the Loktrantrik Bahujan Dal (LBD), who can be also disqualified as their number was well under the one-thrid majority on September 6, 2003.

The 13 MLAs had been disqualified with retrospective effect from August 27, 2003.

Although the apex court verdict was based on 'technical' grounds and no financial obligations were involved including recovery, the disqualification might lead to certain constitutional difficulties as the disqualified MLAs as ministers of the state were part of several policy decisions of the government.

The Chief Minister has categorically said the Chairmen of corporations among the 13 disqualified MLAs would not resign from their posts.

He also termed the MLAs as 'martyrs' and said his government will always safeguard their interests.

On the other hand, the Opposition, mainly the Congress and the BSP have stepped up efforts demanding resignation of the Samajwadi Party led government following the judgment.

However, Minister of State for Science and Technology Rajendra Singh Rana, one of the disqualified MLAs, said they were yet to receive the copy of the judgement.

The 13 MLAs who had been disqualified by the Supreme Court are: Rajendra Singh Rana, Virendra Singh Bundela, Jaiveer Singh, Yogesh Pratap Singh, Shailendra Yadav, Jai Prakash Yadav, Brijendra Pratap Singh, Rajendra Singh Chauhan, Rajpal Tyagi, Surendra Vikram Singh, Kazim Ali Khan, Dinesh Singh and Qutub-ud-din Ansari.

Jaiveer Singh and Surendra Vikram Singh were disqualified by the Speaker on June 10 last year, as they rejoined BSP after the Allahabad High Court decision on February 28, 2006. But the Supreme Court had earlier stayed their disqualification along with three other members.

Among the disqualified MLAs -- Rajendra Singh Rana,Yogesh Pratap Singh, Virendra Singh Bundela, Rajpal Tyagi, Shailendra Yadav and Dinesh Singh (all Ministers) had resigned yesterday and now only Jai Prakash Yadav is the only minister in the Mulayam Singh Yadav government, who is yet to resign.

UNI