Meghalaya Governor asks Speaker for status quo of MLAs voting rights

Meghalaya Governor R S Mooshahary has asked Speaker B M Lanong to maintain status quo of members in respect of their right to vote in the March 17 trust motion in the Assembly. Lanong on Saturday issued show-cause notices to two more MLAs for quitting the MPA Government reducing it to a minority.

Lanong said that the Governor wanted the proceedings on the day to be video recorded and that there should not be any other business. The Governor also said that the status quo of the members in respect of their rights to vote and right to speech be maintained. To this,I replied that the rights of the members would be protected, the Speaker said.

The Assembly meets from Monday to enable Chief Minister Donkupar Roy to seek a trust vote to take place on Tuesday. The Governor issued the directives underlining the Speakers ‘constitutional duties’ in the House,making it among the rarest instance when a constitutional head has given such instructions to the legislature.

Meanwhile,the Speaker issued show-cause notices to HSPDP MLA Advisor Paring and lone MLA from KHANM,Paul Lyngdoh for leaving the Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA) and gave them time till 12 noon of March 16 to comply.