The Supreme Court on December 15, 2023, “re-listed” a petition filed by Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra against her expulsion from Lok Sabha to January 3, 2024.
Justice Sanjiv Khanna, the presiding judge on the Bench, said he did not get the time to go through the file after having received it only in the morning.
Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, for Ms. Moitra, said he could take the Bench quickly through the synopsis of the case.
“I would like to read the file myself,” Justice Khanna responded.
The case was listed before Justice Khanna’s Bench a couple of days after Mr. Singhvi made an oral mentioning before Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on December 13 to urgently list the petition.
December 15 is the last working for the court, which is going into recess for Christmas and New Year vacations.
The Trinamool Congress leader was expelled from the Lok Sabha on December 8 over cash-for-query allegations. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi had moved a resolution which said her continuance as a Member of Parliament was “untenable” and her conduct was “unbecoming of an MP”.
The Trinamool MP was accused of taking bribes, including expensive gifts, from Dubai-based businessman Darshan Hiranandani in return for asking questions in Parliament.
Ms. Motra was not allowed to speak on the floor of the House. She termed the expulsion as “hanging by a kangaroo court”.
