New Delhi
A delegation of Congress legislators from Manipur met President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday with a plea to recall Governor Najma Heptulla for “failing to discharge her obligatory Constitutional duty”.
The issue pertains to a September 2020 ruling of the Manipur High Court that quashed the appointment of 12 BJP MLAs as Parliamentary Secretaries after it struck down two State laws under which they were appointed.
As the Manipur lawmakers approached the Supreme Court, where an appeal is pending, the Congress approached the Governor for the disqualification of the MLAs on the grounds of holding offices of profit.
Ms. Heptulla then sought the opinion of the Election Commission on the High Court order. The panel is learnt to have given its opinion to her in January.
“We had met the Honorable President of India today and apprised him of our grievances and requested him to recall the Governor as she has failed to discharge her obligatory Constitutional duty,” Manipur Congress chief and lawmaker in the Assembly Govindas Konthoujam told reporters after meeting the President.
“For two months now, the Governor has not given us an appointment to meet her,” he added.
The Congress delegation alleged that Constitutional and Parliamentary norms were being flouted in the State by the Governor.
