A two-judge Bench of the Manipur High Court on Friday ordered the suspension of the proceedings of the Speaker’s Tribunal regarding the disqualification of All India Trinamool Congress lawmaker T. Robindro for more than a week.
Mr. Robindro was one of the nine MLAs, including three of the Bharatiya Janata Party, who had withdrawn support to the Nongtmombam Biren government on June 17. He switched his loyalty to the Congress and went to court after Speaker Yumnam Khemchand disqualified him on June 19, the day of Rajya Sabha election.
Hearing his petition, judges L. Jamir and A. Bimol suspended the disqualification proceedings till July 20.
Slams Minister
Meanwhile, Congress MLA and spokesperson K. Joykishan slammed Health Minister L. Jayentakumar for not attending office when Manipur was reeling under the COVID-19 crisis. Mr. Jayentakumar is one of the four National People’s Party (NPP) lawmakers who had quit the BJP-led government but returned to its fold after Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and Assam Finance and Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma mediated.
Mr. Sangma is the national president of the NPP while Mr. Sarma is the convener of the BJP-helmed North East Democratic Alliance.
Mr. Joykishan said all four NPP lawmakers were sulking after their “homecoming” for not getting plum portfolios. He also reminded Mr. Jayentakumar of his alleged statement that there was no room for retreat and negotiations with the BJP after the NPP withdrew support.
“The NPP ministers should attend office, more so the Health Minister, when the threat of community transmission of COVID-19 is looming large and frontline workers have been infected,” the Congress spokesperson said.
