Jharkhand Governor to take call on CM Soren's 'disqualification' today

New Delhi, Aug 26: Amid the rapidly changing political scenario in Jharkhand, the Election Commission of India has recommended to Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais that Chief Minister Hemant Soren be disqualified as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). However, Raj Bhavan hasn't confirmed the development yet.

According to news agency ANI, Governor Ramesh Bais is likely to send his recommendation, on Saturday, to ECI to disqualify Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren as an MLA.

The Election Commission sent its opinion to Bais on August 26 on a plea seeking that Soren is disqualified as an MLA for violating electoral norms by extending a mining lease to himself.

The Jharkhand governor had referred the matter to the poll panel. The BJP, the petitioner in the case, has sought Soren's disqualification for violating section 9 A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which deals with disqualification for government contracts.

Under Article 192 of the Constitution, if any question arises as to whether a member of a House of the Legislature of a state has become subject to any of the disqualifications, the question shall be referred to the governor whose decision shall be final.

The MLAs are also likely to decide the name of the new CM in the scenario of Soren getting disqualified. Moreover, they might also challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court.

As far as the numbers are concerned, the UPA alliance has 49 MLAs in the 81-member assembly. Within the United Progressive Alliance, JMM as the largest party has 30 MLAs, the Congress 18 legislators, and the RJD one. The main opposition BJP has 26 MLAs in the House.