Anti-defection issue generates heat in House

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 2

Even as the Secretary of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha re-laid the Punjab Legislative Assembly (Disqualification of Members on Ground of Defection) Rules, the issue of members of the Opposition parties “cosying up” to ministers and Speaker, generated a lot of heat in the House on the second day of the Budget Session today.

At least four members of the House — Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Baldev Singh, Nazar Singh Manshahia and Amarjit Singh Sandoa (all elected as AAP MLAs) — are under the scanner after the first two floated their own party in 2019 and contested elections on a different party symbol, and the latter two joined the Congress.

Budget likely to be presented on March 8

The Business Advisory Committee on Tuesday met under the Chairmanship of Speaker Rana KP Singh and is learnt to have decided to present the Budget on March 8 and conclude the session on March 10. The minutes of Tuesday’s meeting would be tabled in Wednesday’s session.

Almost two years later, the issue of their disqualification is hanging fire, and there is little hope of the issue being decided in the present term of the Vidhan Sabha, which ends in early 2022. This is because the mandatory constitutional requirement of the Punjab Legislative Assembly (Disqualification of Members on Ground of Defection) Rules to be laid in the House for 30 sittings of the House, may not be fulfilled before the next elections are announced. “Till date, the Rules have been laid for just five sittings of the House,” Shashi Lakhanpal Mishra, Secretary, Punjab Vidhan Sabha, told The Tribune.

The issue of the disqualification of these MLAs came up during Zero Hour, when rebel AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu took a jibe at his other colleagues from the AAP, saying they had brought disrepute to the House by tearing and burning the copies of Governor’s Address yesterday. This led to a strong reaction from both the AAP and Akali Dal, which said the issue of members switching sides to the ruling party was what was denting the dignity of the House.

Raising the issue, SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia said, “Without taking any names, I would like to point out that some members of the House had hobnobbed with minister Bajwa (referring to Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa) and some are also in touch with you (addressing the Speaker) to leave their own party. Even this does not behove well for upholding the democratic traditions of the House. I would appeal to you (Speaker) to bring into force the Punjab Legislative Assembly (Disqualification of Members on Ground of Defection) Rules, at the earliest.”

Leader of Opposition Harpal Cheema, too, demanded that the Rules be implemented at the earliest. “I have written to you several times on the issue,” the AAP leader said.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.