Writ seeks quashing LS Speaker order on disqualification

Chennai, Sep 2 (UNI) A writ seeking to quash an order of the Lok Sabha Speaker dismissing a petition seeking action against K M Khader Mohideen, elected from Vellore Constituency in 2004, has been filed in the Madras High Court.

When the petition came up for hearing yesterday, Justice A Kulasekaran directed the petitioner to file documents relating to Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and posted the matter to September 5 for further hearing.

In his petition, IUML State Secretary M G Dawood Miakhan said Mr Mohideen, the IUML Tamil Nadu president, contested as a candidate put up by the DMK on the 'Rising Sun' symbol from Vellore constituency and was declared elected.

Even after election, he averred he was IUML president and continued to be a party member. Mr Mohideen had taken a stand he was a member of both the DMK and the IUML. He had been declared a DMK Member in Parliament.

He participated in various inter-party meetings of the DPA as IUML state president.

He also took part in the intra-party meetings of the DMK as member of the IUML. This clearly established he had committed an act of voluntarily giving up the membership of such a political party and accordingly should be disqualified from being a member of the House.

Mr Miakhan said he filed a petition in May before the Lok Sabha Speaker for taking action against Mr Mohideen invoking the provisions of X Schedule of the Constitution and consequently to disqualify him as an MP.

The Speaker dismissed his petition on the ground it was not initiated by any of the members of the House, which was prerequisite for an order of disqualification to be passed by the Speaker.

UNI XR GM LPB VC1058