The Lok Sabha Secretariat has issued a notice to 20 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs, demanding a response within seven days regarding petitions for their disqualification under the anti-defection law. This development comes after the Supreme Court agreed to hear TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee’s plea for an expeditious decision on such matters. The party alleges that these MPs have violated the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution by aligning with a different political formation after securing their seats on TMC tickets. The Speaker, PM Birla, has formally initiated this process, seeking justification from the MPs for their actions, which are deemed a violation of party discipline and constitutional mandates.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat has issued a notice to 20 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs, demanding a response within seven days regarding petitions for their disqualification under the anti-defection law. This development comes after the Supreme Court agreed to hear TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee’s plea for an expeditious decision on such matters. The party alleges that these MPs have violated the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution by aligning with a different political formation after securing their seats on TMC tickets. The Speaker, PM Birla, has formally initiated this process, seeking justification from the MPs for their actions, which are deemed a violation of party discipline and constitutional mandates.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat has issued a notice to 20 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs, demanding a response within seven days regarding petitions for their disqualification under the anti-defection law. This development comes after the Supreme Court agreed to hear TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee’s plea for an expeditious decision on such matters. The party alleges that these MPs have violated the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution by aligning with a different political formation after securing their seats on TMC tickets. The Speaker, PM Birla, has formally initiated this process, seeking justification from the MPs for their actions, which are deemed a violation of party discipline and constitutional mandates.

The Lok Sabha secretariat has issued a notice to 20 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs seeking their reply within seven days on petitions seeking their disqualification under the anti-defection law. This comes a day after the Supreme Court agreed to hear TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee’s plea seeking an expeditious decision on disqualification petitions.

The notice by LS Speaker Om Birla dated August 25 seeks a response from the MPs who left Mamata Banerjee’s TMC and aligned with the National Citizens Party of India.

The TMC accused the 20 Mp’s of abandoning the party after entering the Lok Sabha on its ticket. The party maintains that their decision to join another political formation attracts the anti-defection provisions under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.

Abhishek Banerjee’s writ petitions were heard by a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana,

The Supreme Court petition filed under Article 32 through Advocate-on-Record Preetika Dwivedi challenges the delay in deciding the disqualification petitions submitted by Banerjee before the Speaker.

During the hearing, Justice Joymala Bagchi said: "It is not a question of issuing notices; it is a question of concluding the proceedings within a time frame."

Banerjee’s petition names the Lok Sabha Speaker and the House Secretary General as the principal respondents. The respondents also include Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Satabdi Roy, Prasun Banerjee, Rachana Banerjee, Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia, Partha Bhowmick, Arup Chakraborty, Adhikari Deepak Dev, Sayani Ghosh, Bapi Haldar, Md Abu Taher Khan, Kalipada Saren Kherwal, Asit Kumar Mal, June Maliah, Mitali Bag, Khalilur Rahaman, Mala Roy, Sharmila Sarkar and Pathan Yusuf.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat had allotted the 20 rebel MPs separate seating arrangements; however, they are officially still part of the TMS, as their plea to merge with the NCPI is still under review.

With inputs from PTI.