Anti-Defection Law: Disqualified Himachal MLAs move SC against speaker's decision

New Delhi: The rebel Congress MLAs, who were disqualified after they cross-voted in the recent Rajya Sabha polls in Himachal Pradesh, moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday against their disqualification.

The disqualified MLAs are Rajinder Rana, Sudhir Sharma, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Devinder Kumar Bhutoo, Ravi Thakur, and Chetanya Sharma.

The ex-MLAs have filed a plea against the February 29 decision of the state Legislative Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania.

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These Congress rebels, who had voted in favour of the BJP nominee in the Rajya Sabha polls, later abstained from voting on the Budget, defying a party whip.

Also Read - Political crisis: What's next for Himachal Pradesh? 

Notably, the MLAs were disqualified for defying the party whip as per which they were supposed to be present on the floor of the House at the time of voting on cut-off motions on demands and the finance Bill.

“Consequently, I hold the respondents have incurred disqualification under para 2, clause 1, sub-clause (a) of the 10th schedule (known in common parlance as anti-defection law) and therefore I hold and declare that respondent number 1 to 6 cease to be member of the Himachal Pradesh legislative Assembly with immediate effect,” Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania stated while announcing their disqualification in Shimla on February 29.