HC to hear MLAs merger case on Jan 23

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

Itagar, Jan 5: The Itagar permanent bench of Gauhati High Court on Wednesday took up the case filed by Aruchal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Padi Richo relating to the merger of 43 Congress MLAs to the People’s Party of Aruchal (PPA) on September 16 last.

Representing Richo, Senior Advocate KC Mittal while interacting with the press after the court proceedings informed that an additiol affidavit was also filed in the court on the day challenging the merger of 33 PPA legislators to BJP on December 31. “As the case was already sub judiced, so an additiol affidavit has been filed challenging the merger into the BJP as well,” said Mittal.

Subsequently, the next hearing of the Court has been scheduled for January 23. It is pertinent to mention here that APCC president Padi Richo on November 23 last had filed a writ petition before the High Court challenging the validity of 43 Congress MLAs who merged with the PPA.

The Court had then issued notice for consideration on the interim relief for stay of the Speaker’s order dated September 16, 2016 by which all the MLAs have been shown as PPA members and the assembly issued a bulletin on the same day notifying them as PPA member.