Twenty rebel MPs, including Sayani Ghosh, have reportedly missed another deadline to respond to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla over their move from the Trinamool Congress to the Nationalist Party of India, or NCPI. The MPs have now sought an additional 2 weeks, although no official confirmation of the request has been reported.
The issue concerns petitions seeking their disqualification as MPs. The Supreme Court has asked the Speaker to deal with the matter promptly, while the MPs' names continue to appear in Lok Sabha records as Trinamool Congress members.
Repeated requests for more time
Media reports said the 20 MPs were given until Thursday to submit their response to the Speaker. They had reportedly asked for another extension, saying more time was needed to collect the relevant documents.
This is not the first extension sought in the matter. The MPs initially received 7 days to reply. They were later given 3 weeks and then 4 weeks for their response. A further request for 2 weeks has now been reported.
On 22 September, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said a letter had been sent to the Lok Sabha Secretariat seeking additional time. She said the MPs still needed to gather all the documents required for their reply and had therefore requested more time.
Petitions over the party switch
Sayani Ghosh, Yusuf Pathan, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Jagadish Chandra Barui Basunia are among the 20 MPs who reportedly left Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress and joined NCPI.
A petition was filed in the Supreme Court over the alleged defection, seeking their disqualification as MPs. Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee had also filed petitions before the Lok Sabha Speaker in June, seeking action under the Tenth Schedule.
The reported party change followed a split in the Trinamool Congress after the West Bengal Assembly election. More than 60 MLAs had announced a separate group, while 20 MPs joined the smaller NCPI, according to the report.
Supreme Court's observation
On 23 September, the Supreme Court said its bench could not direct the Lok Sabha Speaker, but added that it wanted to remind the authority to resolve the matter quickly. Chief Justice Suryakant said the case required speedy consideration because of its nature.
Justice Bagchi also referred to the importance of the Tenth Schedule and urged that the issue be resolved promptly. The court's remarks cited the 2020 judgment in Kesham Meghachandra Singh versus the Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.
In that case, the Supreme Court said a Speaker should decide disqualification matters within a reasonable period and preferably within 3 months.
Conclusion
The 20 MPs have reportedly sought another 2 weeks to prepare their response, after earlier extensions. The Speaker is considering a disqualification matter that has also drawn the Supreme Court's call for an early resolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How many MPs are involved in the matter?
Twenty MPs are involved in the disqualification petitions and the reported request for more time.
Q. Which parties are central to the dispute?
The MPs are reported to have left the Trinamool Congress and joined the Nationalist Party of India, or NCPI.
Q. Who must receive the MPs' response?
The response is to be submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
Q. How much additional time have the MPs reportedly requested?
They have reportedly sought another 2 weeks.
Q. What earlier extensions were mentioned?
The MPs initially received 7 days, followed by extensions of 3 weeks and 4 weeks.
Q. What action has the Supreme Court taken?
The Supreme Court said the Speaker should address the matter promptly, while noting that its bench could not direct the Speaker.
Q. Under which provision were the petitions filed?
Abhishek Banerjee's petitions sought disqualification under the Tenth Schedule.
Q. What do Lok Sabha records reportedly show?
The MPs are recorded as members of the Trinamool Congress.
