While both ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP are out to hide their legislators, in the wake of Rajya Sabha polls, Assembly Speaker is in the spotlight.
A day after senior BJP leaders visited Assembly Speaker’s residence in Bhopal on Tuesday handing over resignations of 19 Congress rebels, the Congress party delegation met the Speaker NP Prajapati on Wednesday and demanded disqualification of six Jyotiraditya Scindia supporter ministers’ from Assembly.
Led by JP Dhanopia, the delegation referring to rules urged the speaker to expel these MLAs from assembly. The speaker assured them of proper action at the opportune moment.
The State Government has already written to State Governor to remove these ministers from state cabinet.
Prajapati also had assured the BJP delegation of ‘action as per constitutional procedures’ after he was handed over hard copies of the resignation letters from 19 MLAs camping in Bengaluru.
Some of these MLAs had uploaded video messages on social media claiming that they were standing with Jyotiraditya Scindia and refuted Congress party claims that they were in touch with Chief Minister Kamal Nath.
Meanwhile, as the speaker, who belongs to Congress party, has not taken any decision on resignations of MLAs, there is eagerness to know what he would eventually do in the matter.
As a possible floor test would follow polling for Rajya Sabha on March 26 in Madhya Pradesh Assembly, the Speaker is expected to buy time before meticulously taking a final call on the fate of Congress rebels.
The BJP camp and rebels are claiming that in all 22 MLAs have resigned recently.
There are two conditions for an MLA or an MP if they want to tender their resignation. First, the resignation has to be drafted in the official format. It has to be very brief. Secondly, the resignation shouldn't be tendered under pressure, constitutional experts say.
The resignation letter has to be a simple statement of intent expressed by the MLA that he/ she is resigning from membership of that particular assembly with immediate effect. Any extra word, describing one’s reasons for resigning etc, will make the resignation letter unacceptable.
Secondly, if the resignation is written by hand and handed over to the speaker personally by the MLA, the speaker can make enquiries on whether the member is resigning under duress. After fully satisfying himself/ herself the speaker can accept the resignation.
However, if the letter is typed and sent by a medium, the speaker will be in his/ her right to call on the person to make enquiries about the reasons for resignation.