2 MLAs disqualified from UP Assembly after Lokayukta probe

Lucknow, January 29

Uttar Pradesh MLAs Bajrang Bahadur Singh of BJP and BSP's Uma Shankar Singh were disqualified by the Governor from state Assembly on Thursday on the recommendation of Lokayukta which indicted them for irregularities.

Bajrang Bahadur Singh was elected from Pharenda in Maharajganj and Uma Shankar Singh from Rasra in Ballia district in the 2012 Assembly elections.

Lokayukta N K Mehrotra had recommended their disqualification as it was found during probe that they had been working as contractors even after being elected to Uttar Pradesh Assembly.

 A Raj Bhawan statement said the Governor took the decision on the basis of the Lokayukta recommendation.

 Governor Ram Naik had sought a report from the Election Commission on Lokayukta's recommendation to disqualify Bajrang Bahadur Singh from the date he procured government contract after his election on October 15, 2012 and Uma Shankar Singh from the day he became an MLA on March 6, 2012, as he kept doing the job of a contractor even after getting elected, it said.

 Naik had given an opportunity to the two MLAs to sumbit their representation with regard to the charges against them and they had personally met him and given replies on which the Governor elicited legal opinion.

 The Governor had sought EC's views on the Lokayukta's recommendation on December 2, 2014 for disqualification of the two MLAs as their act was found to be in violation of the Representation of the People Act.

PTI