The Odisha High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the State Government asking the Government counsel to reply as to why the State Assembly Speaker has not implemented the orders passed by the High Court with regard to an application made by NCP State president Utkal Keshari Parida.
Justices Indrajit Mahanti and BN Mohapatra taking up a contempt petition against Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat issued the notice and fixed April 12 for next hearing of the case.
Parida had last month filed the petition alleging that the Speaker was "deliberately" and "willfully" disobeying the orders passed by the High Court and the Supreme Court.
While the High Court on September 23, 2012 had asked the Speaker to dispose of Parida's application within eight weeks, the Supreme Court had asked the Speaker to dispose of the same by January 7, 2013.
But the Speaker has not taken steps to implement the orders of both courts, the petition has alleged. Parida has sought disqualification of all the four NCP MlAs, who had voluntarily given up their memberships from the party and joined the ruling BJD in June last.
It may be recalled here that the Speaker had challenged the HC order in Supreme Court which in turn dismissed his petition on January 17 this year upholding the HC order.
The Supreme Court, however, had asked the Speaker on December 13, 2012 to dispose of Parida's application by January 7, 2013.
But instead of acting upon the application, the Speaker had referred the matter to the Privilege Committee of the Assembly seeking a report on the issue, the petitioner's counsel Gopal Agarwal had alleged, saying the seven-member Privilege Committee is unable to discuss the issue due to lack of quorum.