Merger of BSP MLAs: Rajasthan HC refers matter to single judge Bench

Jaipur, Aug 06: In a breather for Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, the High Court has sent the matter relating to the merger of six BSP MlAs back to a single judge Bench.

On Wednesday tthe Rajasthan High Court issued notice to the state assembly speaker on a set of appeals filed by BJP MLA Madan Dilawar and BSP national secretary Satish Mishra on the issue of merger of six BSP MLAs with the Congress.

The duo approached the division bench of the high court on Tuesday with an appeal against the order of a single judge refusing stay on the functioning of the six BSP MLAs as Congress legislators.

On request, the matter was listed on Wednesday before the division bench of Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty and Justice Prakash Gupta.

Both the parties had filed writ petitions challenging the decision of Speaker CP Joshi in September 2019 allowing merger of the six BSP MLAs with the Congress.

The single bench had issued notices to the speaker and secretary of the assembly and the six MLAs on July 30 and directed them to submit replies on August 11.

However, the court had not granted any interim relief. The parties had demanded a stay on the participation of the six MLAs in the proceeding in the House as Congress legislators.

Against this, the BJP MLA and BSP had filed separate appeals on Tuesday and made a mention for urgent listing of the same before the division bench.

Six BSP MLAs-- Sandeep Yadav, Wajib Ali, Deepchand Kheria, Lakhan Meena, Jogendra Awana and Rajendra Gudha-- had defected to the Congress in September last month.