FIR against Cong MLA withdrawn

The FIR had led to a standoff in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly.

The amicable solution was arrived at after Vidhan Sabha Speaker Tulsi Ram and Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal talked to senior leaders of the Congress,including Leader of the Opposition Vidya Stokes and Congress president Kaul Singh Thakur on Wednesday afternoon.

Later,Shimla Deputy Commissioner J S Rana also mediated to resolve the matter,following which the SDM agreed to drop charges against the MLA.

Superintendent of Police R M Sharma said: “The SDM has submitted to the deputy commissioner in writing that he does not wish to pursue the FIR any more as it was the result of a misunderstanding. We are likely to receive a copy of the letter from the DC soon,after which the police will file for formal cancellation of the FIR before the court of law.”

The MLA’s notice for bringing a privilege motion in the Assembly against the SDM is,meanwhile,still pending for decision.

As the house assembled on Thursday,Leader of the Opposition Vidya Stokes informed the Assembly that the matter had been sorted out.

She said: “I thank the speaker and the government for resolving the matter and we hope that nothing of the sort to victimise any MLA and affect their institution happens in future.”

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said: “The Opposition should not misrepresent the facts. There was no involvement of the government in the matter,which was between the SDM and the MLA.”