EMN
DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 4
Indian National Congress (INC) today filed 7 disqualification petitions before the Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly against 7 Congress MLAs for attracting the provisions of the anti defection law and the rules which have been framed by the Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
According to the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) statement, the “issues” raised in the petition includes “voluntarily giving up their membership of the party by their conduct” and “voting against the directive of the INC party.”
The petition was delayed for several months expecting good sense will prevail, as it was not possible for the Congress party to create precedence by compromising with the communal ideology of the BJP, it stated. “However, it was unfortunate that the 8 Congress MLAs were mentally and physically not with Congress for all purpose after joining the NPF led BJP-DAN govt.
“The Congress party is also aware that the NPF President has endorsed the merger petition of the 8 Congress MLAs and that the matter is pending before the Speaker for disposal. Since the Speaker is yet to notify the merger issue, it has not been raised in the petition,” it added.
State Congress calls for disciplinary action against NLA commissioner
Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has demanded the state government to take immediate “disciplinary action” against the incumbent Commissioner and Secretary to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. In a letter addressed to the Chef Secretary of Nagaland, the NPCC on Friday stated that on July 21 last, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) had written a letter to the Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly “regarding the directive and whip to be issued to the 8 Congress legislators during the last Budget session.”
According to the NPCC, the incumbent Commissioner and Secretary to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly had refused to accept the letter. Again on September 3 last, the same officer refused to accept the petition for disqualification of the 8 Congress legislators which was filed before the Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, the NPCC claimed. “That the action of the present Commissioner and Secretary, Nagaland Legislative Assembly is a dereliction of duty by a government servant and moreover, it is an act of depriving the rights of the Congress Party.
“That the Nagaland Legislative Assembly is a people’s House and the highest platform of making decision for the people and such office should be run by persons who have integrity and devotion to duty in the Parliamentary working system. At the same time, the office should be run by people who are serving under the Nagaland Legislative Assembly service having the knowledge and experience, if not, some experience officers from IAS,NCS and NSS should be deputed to run the office and not otherwise,” the NPCC said.
Therefore the NPCC has demanded immediate disciplinary action against the officer in question “by the competent authority.” Failure to do so will force the NPCC to take its own course of action “till justice is delivered,” it stated.
