The Speaker, Govind Singh Kunjwal reserved his ruling in the case pertaining to the suspended BJP MlA Bhim lal Arya on Tuesday till April 28. The controversial MlA against whom BJP has been demanding action under anti- defection law, appeared before the Speaker in Vidhan Sabha along with his lawyer. BJP’s chief whip and MlA Madan Kaushik also turned up at the Speaker’s chamber along with his lawyers to present the BJP’s point of view of the dragging matter.
Kaushik alleged that Arya deserved to be disqualified as he had abstained himself from the Assembly on March 18, defying the whip issued by BJP to all its MlAs to be present in the House on that day. Buttressing his point, he said that the MlA had not bothered to inform the Opposition leader or the chief whip about the cause of his absence.
However, Arya rejected the charge, saying that he had not received any whip from anyone, asking him to be present in the Assembly on March 18. Kaushik is learnt to have presented documents to bolster his party’s case against the suspended MlA.
Taking cognizance of the BJP notice filed on April 5, the Speaker had served the notice on Arya on April 5 and asked him to submit his reply by April 12. Although Arya had submitted his reply the case could not be taken up as Kaushik was absent on April 12.
Observers say that the Speaker has not shown any urgency to dispose of the matter which he had shown while dealing with the rebel Congress MlAs whom he disqualified with alacrity. Kaushik also alleged that the Speaker was intentionally keeping the matter hang fire.