Honchun Committee submits report on MLAs' disqualification

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

Itagar, June 11: Following directives of Guwahati High Court issued on April 6 last, wherein it had ordered state legislative assembly speaker Wanki Lowang to constitute a committee for making prelimiry inquiry into the petition filed over disqualifications of 14 MLAs, the Honchun Committee on Friday submitted its report to the Speaker. The three-member Honchun Committee which includes MLAs, Honchun Ngandam, Pani Taram and Tage Taki presented the report to the speaker at the Nokmey mati Hall of the Assembly here, while the speaker would now commence his proceedings on the petition.   The oral hearing of the petition has been scheduled for June 28 next and the oral rebuttal would commence on the next day. While the date for hearing the petition has been fixed for July 02 next, the speaker would pronounce his order on July 16.

It is pertinent to mention here that the then speaker bam Rebia on December 16 last year had disqualified 14 MLAs from Aruchal Pradesh assembly, a day ahead of the winter session of the House, called by Governor J P Rajkhowa to take up impeachment motion notice served by 11 BJP and two independent MLAs against Rebia. A notice issued by assembly secretary M Lasa had stated that the disqualification was made under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.  The governor had advanced the assembly session from January 14 to December 16 to take up the impeachment motion against the speaker and the business of the house was supposed to be conducted by deputy speaker Thongdok.  However, 16 Congress MLAs had served an impeachment notice against the deputy speaker too.