NLA Speaker dismisses NPF MLA disqualification plea

Our Correspondent
Kohima, July 14 (EMN): The speaker of Nagaland Legislative Assembly has dismissed the disqualification petition against seven Naga People’s Front (NPF) MLAs through an order passed on Tuesday July 14.

The office of the NLA speaker confirmed this to Eastern Mirror right after the hearing on Tuesday afternoon.

The petition was filed in April 2019 by MLA Imkong L Imchen and MLA Chotisuh Sazo on behalf of the NPF against the seven dissidents MLAs— Kejong Chang, EE Pangteang, Eshak Konyak, CL John, BS Nganlang, N Thongwang Konyak and Toyang Chang.

The seven MLAs had revolted against the party’s decision to support the Indian National Congress (INC) candidate during the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 and instead declared their support for the PDA candidate Tokehho Zhimomi of the NDPP.

In the election the INC candidate KL Chishi lost to Tokheho Zhimomi by a narrow margin of about 16000 votes.

In the petition, the NPF party had contended that the election was lost due to the revolt by the seven dissident MLAs and their supporters, and that their action implies that they have voluntarily given up the membership of the party thus inviting disqualification proceedings under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.

Earlier on June 2, 2020 the Kohima bench of the Gauhati High Court had directed the speaker to dispose of the disqualification petitions within six weeks.

Tuesday’s judgment order will take prominence in the history of the NLA as in the recent times there were no such decisive judgment orders passed by the speaker’s tribunal.