Petitions against 3 BSP MPs referred to committee: Speaker

New Delhi, Aug 17 (UNI) Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today referred to the Privileges Committee three petitions seeking disqualification of BSP MPs -- Mohammed Shahid Akhlaque, Ramakant Yadav and Bhal Chandra Yada -- in the light of their quitting the party.

''...I have decided to refer the three petitions to the Committee of Privileges under rule 7(4) of the said rules for making a preliminary inquiry and submitting a report to me preferably before the last day of the present session,'' the Speaker said in his ruling.

The petitions had been filed by Mr Rajesh Verma under rule 6 of the anti-defection law, stating that the members had incurred disqualification under paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.

The Speaker said he had sought the comments of the three members which would also be forwarded to the Privileges Committee along with the petitions.

UNI