SC sets aside Manipur Speaker’s order disqualifying three MLAs for defection

The bench, also comprising Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Bela M Trivedi, said that since the Speaker’s order now stood set aside, the MLAs will continue to represent the electorate in Assembly until the Speaker decides on their disqualification.

Kshetrimayum Biren Singh, Yengkhom Surchandra Singh and Sanasam Bira Singh, elected in the March 2017 Assembly polls, were disqualified by the Speaker on June 18, 2020.

The decision came on disqualification petitions which alleged that they had voluntarily given up membership of the INC and backed BJP, besides taking part in work and programmes hosted by the saffron party.

Ratifying the Speaker’s decision, the HC said there was enough material before the Speaker to draw the inference that they had voluntarily given up their membership of Congress.