The four former Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MlAs, who had joined BJD courting a controversy, would file their counter affidavits before Assembly Speaker Pradip Amat on Monday.
MlAs Amar Prasad Satpathy (Badachana), Ramchandra Hansdah (Saraskana), Prashant Nanda (Begunia) and Nabin Nanda (Gondia) had left the NCP and joined the BJD on June 5, 2012 after the unsuccessful coup by rebel BJD leader Pyarimohan Mohapatra.
NCP State president Utkal Keshari Parida had termed the merger as illegal and sought disqualification of the MlAs from Speaker. later, the case was referred to the State High Court and the Supreme Court. The apex court had directed the Speaker to hold a hearing on the case. The hearing by the Speaker on the issue of disqualification of membership of these four MlAs had remained inconclusive as the legislators had sought a 10-day extension of time to file counter affidavits on April 12.
Sources said the advocate appearing on behalf of the four MlAs may produce witness before the Speaker. "We would keep our sides. There is no question of delay in hearing.
As we have been for the first time included directly as party to the case, we should be provided time to keep our views," said MlA Amar Prasad Satapathy.
While counsellor Gopal Agrawal is pleading for NCP State president Utkal Keshari Parida, counsellor Pitambar Acharya is handling the case for Speaker.