Jharkhand MLAs seek 2 weeks to reply to disqualification pleas

RANCHI: The three Jharkhand MLAs served with disqualificition notices by Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari on Monday petitioned before him, seeking two weeks' time to reply.

Enos Ekka, Kamlesh Singh and Stephen Marandi did not appear before the Speaker personally and were represnented by their lawyers.

Ekka and Singh were among the four ministers who resigned and withdrew support from the Arjun Munda led NDA government, reducing it to a minority.

The trust vote would be moved on September 14.

“The Speaker told the representatives that the petitions seeking time would be under his active consideration,” lawyers R K Jain and S B Gadodia said.

While Gadodia represented Marandi, Jain appeared for Singh and Ekka.

Asked by reporters what he meant by active consideration, Namdhari said, "It means, may be considered or may not be considered."

Petitions seeking disqualification of Singh and Ekka had been pending at the Speaker's office since last year.

The two face charges for flouting party whips.

Notice had been sent to Marandi, an independnet MLA, for joining a political party, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha. Marandi is its general secretary.

The three legislators had approached the Supreme Court against the Speaker's notice.