Speaker starts hearing on disqualification of BJP MLA

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Responding to the order of the Odisha High Court on the issue of disqualification of BJP Bonai MLA Bhisen Choudhury, Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly, Pradeep Kumar Amat, on Monday initiated formal hearing of the controversial case. However, the Speaker put off the case for further hearing on July 10.

In a significant judgment, the Odisha High Court on June 18 last had quashed the ruling of the Speaker rejecting an application of BJP State president Jual Oram on behalf of the party seeking disqualification of MLAship of Bhimsen Choudury.

In its order, the High Court, adjudicating a writ petition filed by BJP Legislature Party secretary Karnedra Majhi, had asked the Speaker to reconsider the application of Oram and pass appropriate order within four weeks.

Majhi had moved the HC requesting the court to quash the impugned order of the Speaker and appealing to disqualify the membership of Choudhury for violating the provisions of the anti-defection law.

With ten days to go for reconsideration of his own decision given in March last relating to disqualification of suspended BJP MLA Choudhury, the Speaker had called both the parties for a hearing. Choudhury who had preferred not to give any reply in the High Court, submitted his written point of view before the Speaker on the day.

And on the demand of Karendra Majhi who represented on behalf of the BJP, the Speaker gave a copy of Choudhury's reply for appraisal.

Since Majhi had submitted that his party would like to give its reply to the contention of Choudhury on the next date, the Speaker adjourned the hearing to July 10.

Later Majhi told newsmen, "We hope the Speaker would honour the ruling of the High Court and take appropriate steps to give justice and to strengthen the democratic set up of the country." He also urged the Speaker to nullify the membership of the Bonai MLA for violating party whip and indulging in anti-party activity.

The Bonai legislator who was elected on a BJP ticket in 2009, had defied the party whip and intentionally abstained from voting during the 2010 Rajya Sabha elections to help the ruling BJD's third candidate Baishnab Parida get elected by resorting to horse-trading, Maji had alleged.

As the Speaker rejected the contention of BJP, Majhi moved the High Court seeking to quash the order of Speaker and urged court to disqualify the membership of Choudhury under the anti-defection law and per the provision in the tenth schedule of the constitution.