Lucknow, February 19
Formally
disqualifying the 13 former BSP MLAs mentioned in the February 14 apex
court order, Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey today notified the Election
Commission and declared their seats vacant.
The decision came hours
after BSP President submitted a memorandum to the Governor T.V. Rajeswar
demanding the resignation of Vidhan Sabha Speaker for failing to
implement the Supreme Court ruling disqualifying 37 MLAs.
Commenting on
the disqualification of the remaining 24 MLAs, the Speaker admitted that
he was yet to receive a notified copy of the judgment.
According to Mr
Pandey he was also not in a position to take any decision regarding the
disqualification of 10 BJP MLAs and 3 Rashtriya Lok Dal MLAs as the
parties had given him an applications.
Leader of the Opposition Lalji
Tandon had given an application to the Speaker on 17 February regarding
the disqualification of 10 party MLAs. A similar application was
submitted on behalf of the RLD today.
With the disqualification of the
13 MLAs the total strength of the house has been reduced to 389 with 10
MLAs not having voting rights and disqualification applications against
another 13 pending.
