The High Court on Wednesday set aside Delhi Legislative Assembly’s order suspending seven BJP MLAs for interrupting Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena's address at the start of the Budget session.
Justice Subramonium Prasad pronounced the order on petitions by BJP MLAs Mohan Singh Bisht, Ajay Mahawar, O.P. Sharma, Abhay Verma, Anil Vajpayi, Jitender Mahajan, and Vijender Gupta, after having it reserved on February 27.
Seven of them had moved the high court challenging their suspension for the remainder of the Budget Session of the Assembly, saying it was maliciously engineered to disable the opposition members from participating in the discussions.
On February 23, the Assembly authorities had assured the court that the suspension was not meant to suppress dissent but was a measure of self-discipline in response to misconduct.
It had promised to expedite the privileges committee's proceedings since on February 22 the court had asked the Delhi Assembly's Privileges Committee to put on hold its proceedings against the MLAs.
Since the court was hearing the matter on merit, the judge had said that the Committee should not continue with the proceedings.
"Since I have started hearing today, the Privileges Committee should not continue. All further proceedings must be kept in abeyance," Justice Prasad had said orally to senior counsel appearing for the Assembly. The court had observed that their suspension was resulting in their constituencies going unrepresented in the House. Earlier, Justice Prasad had also asked the MLAs to meet the Assembly Speaker after Lt. Governor accepted their apology.
The members were suspended for allegedly interrupting the Lt. Governor's address, highlighting the AAP government's achievements on February 15.
Senior advocate Jayant Mehta for MLAs had, on February 19, argued that the suspension was unconstitutional and contrary to rules, affecting their right to participate in proceedings.
"This was maliciously engineered to disable the opposition members to participate in the discussions on crucial businesses that were to be discussed and to also exclude them, albeit unconstitutionally, from participating in the Budget Session of the House," their plea said, adding the move was grossly unconstitutional and even contrary to Rules of Business of the House.
Mehta had said that the motion to suspend them was excessive, advocating a maximum three-day suspension instead of an indefinite one.
AAP MLA Dilip Pandey had initiated the resolution for suspension in the House, which Speaker Ram Niwas Goel accepted. The matter was also forwarded to the Privileges Committee. The suspended MLAs, except Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, were barred from Assembly proceedings until the committee's report was received.
Sushanta demanded Centre to start direct flight service along Agartala-Mumbai route
The state transport minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Monday met the Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu in Delhi and discussed a series of issues related to the development of air services from Agartala MBB Airport.
CM Dr Manik Saha discuses development railway services and infrastructure in Tripura
Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on Monday met the General Manager (Construction) of North East Frontier Railway here in his chamber at the secretariat and discussed a series of issues related to the further development of railway infrastructure in the state and ease passenger movement.
State to get Rs 150 Crore for Tourism, Sushanta Meets Union Minister Shekhawat
The Central Government has sanctioned an additional ₹150 crore for the enhancement of Tripura's tourism sector, Tripura Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury announced on Monday.
CM to inaugurate 34 projects of Rs 250 Crore tomorrow
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of various projects worth Rs 250 crore, comprising 34 projects, in Unakoti district tomorrow.
JP Nadda, BL Santosh arriving in state on March 9: CM Manik Saha
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha today announced that BJP All India National President JP Nadda and National General Secretary (Org) B.L. Santosh will be arriving on March 9 to attend the two-year celebration of the present state government at Swami Vivekananda Maidan.
Two Bihar women held with cannabis at Agartala Railway Station
Acting on a tip-off, the Government Railway Police recovered 21 kg 65 grams of dried cannabis from two women at Agartala railway station. The estimated market value of the seized contraband is said to be over three lakh rupees.
UK PM announces new 1.6-billion-pound deal for Ukraine to buy missiles
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that Britain will allow Ukraine to use 1.6 billion pounds ($2 billion) of British export finance to purchase more than 5,000 air defence missiles.
'PM Modi working for welfare of all communities without discrimination', says Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah Committee chief
Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah Committee Chairman Syed Afsar Ali Nizami on Sunday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for attending the Sufi music festival 'Jahan-e-Khusro' and said that he gave the message of brotherhood and works for the welfare of all communities and religion without any discrimination.