The Speaker has spoken! And he won’t go anywhere just yet.
It’s the primary wrangle facing the brand new Hemant Government as it prepares to take a majority test on the floor of the House on July 18. Constitutional experts feel Assembly Speaker CP Singh’s continuation on the post may prove to be a spoilsport during the floor test.However, Singh is holding on in order to save the democratic values in the State. “I will not resign from the post as no one from the Government’s side is ready to take job of the Speaker,” said Singh.
According to experts, Singh, a BJP MlA, has the power to cancel membership of MlAs from House if they are found disobeying the party Whip.“Those who are willing to change sides might have to face problems if Singh continues as Speaker,” said a senior advocate of Jharkhand High Court, requesting anonymity. “He has the power to cancel their (MlAs’) membership from Assembly if they try to vote against the party Whip,” he added.
Moreover, the Speaker might also get warrantee MlAs arrested if they come to the Assembly for voting. Sita Soren, Chamra linda and Nalin Soren of the JMM are evading arrest for various cases of corruption and other charges.Enosh Ekka and Harinarayan Roy — accused in the multi-crore money laundering case involving former Chief Minister Madhu Koda — will also have to take permission for voting in the Assembly as they are on conditional bail from the court. Till date, they have not taken permission.
According to a recent Supreme Court judgement, convicted MlA Sawana lakra will be debarred from voting in the Assembly. The apex court on Wednesday had struck down a provision in electoral law that protects a convicted lawmaker from disqualification on grounds of pendency of appeal in higher courts.“I will be giving a representation to the Speaker tomorrow, requesting him to debar the tainted MlAs in view of the Supreme Court judgement that came on July 10,” said high court advocate Rajiv Kumar.
“The list will include Sita and Nalin Soren, lakra, Ekka and Roy,” he added.The JMM, though, is optimistic and claims that there is no hurdle in proving majority in the Assembly. “We have the support of adequate numbers of MlAs,” said JMM leader Vinod Pandey. On the Speaker’s decision, he said Singh should resign on moral grounds.