Following the Patna High Court verdict on Tuesday reinstating membership of four rebel JD(U) MLAs, four more party MLAs moved court on Wednesday against termination of their membership by Speaker Uday Narayan Chaudhury, for alleged anti-party activities.
The JD(U), meanwhile, has decided to challenge the verdict before a larger Bench.
The membership of Gyanendra Singh Gyanu, Rahul Sharma, Ravindra Rai and Niraj Kumar Babloo was reinstated by the court of Justice J.P. Sharan.
The four other JD(U) MLAs – Ajit Kumar (Kanti), Raju Kumar Singh (Sahebganj), Suresh Chanchal (Sakra) and Poonam Devi (Digha) – were disqualified by the Speaker on December 27 for alleged anti-party activities and cross-voting during the Rajya Sabha by-poll.
“Now, we’ve also knocked on the doors of the Patna High Court against the vindictive and unconstitutional decision of the Speaker’s court and we’re hopeful that justice will be done,” Mr. Ajit Kumar told The Hindu . They have engaged the same advocate SBK Mangalm to fight their case.
Ms. Devi said the anti-defection law was wrongly interpreted by the Speaker. The court order had come as a severe jolt to the ruling party and its leader Nitish Kumar, who was accused by the disgruntled legislators of putting pressure on the Speaker to terminate their membership. While Mr. Kumar refused to comment on the court verdict, Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi welcomed it. Earlier, Mr. Manjhi expressed reservation over the Speaker’s decision against the rebel MLAs.
Meanwhile, the chief whip and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shrawan Kumar said the party was contemplating the same action against five more legislators for anti-party activities.
