The Manipur High Court will hear on Friday the disqualification case against seven Congress MLAs who had ‘defected’ to the BJP and helped it form a coalition government in 2017.
Justice Kh. Nobin Singh issued the order on Wednesday listing the case for disposal.
“The matter went to court as Manipur Speaker Yumnam Khemchand did not take the decision on disqualification,” Congress spokesperson Ningombam Bupenda Meitei said.
Mr. Khemchand had on May 8 reserved his decision on the disqualification of the seven MLAs — Oinam Lukhoi Singh, Kshetrimayum Biren Singh, Paonam Brojen Singh, Sanasam Bira Singh, Ngamthang Haokip, Ginsuanhau and Yengkhom Surchandra Singh.
These seven and former Forest Minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar, elected on a Congress ticket, helped the BJP — short of a majority in the 60-member House — notch up 40 MLAs to form the government headed by Nongthombam Biren Singh.
The Congress had approached the Supreme Court for disqualification of the MLAs who did not quit the party and technically remained Congress lawmakers.
The apex court stripped Mr. Shyamkumar of his office and banned his entry into the Assembly while asking the Speaker to take a call on the seven others.
The Speaker disqualified Mr. Shyamkumar as an MLA, but he was later appointed as an adviser to the Chief Minister.
