Meghalaya NCP wants its rebel legislators disqualified

SHILLONG: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has lodged a complaint with Meghalaya assembly speaker Charles Pyngrope seeking disqualification of 11 legislators who had joined PA Sangma's National People's Party (NPP).

"We have lodged a complaint with the speaker and its secretary H Mylliemngap against 11 NCP legislators who have defected to the NPP under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution," said NCP's Meghalaya unit president Sanbor Shullai. "Legal notices have also been issued to all 11 NCP rebel legislators," he said.

Shullai, who is also the deputy speaker, said the complaint against the legislators was filed as per sections 191(2) and 21(a) of the constitution's Tenth Schedule. "We'll examine the complaint filed by NCP legislator Sanbor Shullai against the 11 legislators," Pyngrope said.

He said the NPP had not yet informed the assembly secretariat about the merger of 11 legislators with it. NPP president PA Sangma said, "The anti-defection law doesn't provide for the disqualification of NCP members if two-thirds of the party MLAs in Meghalaya merge with the NPP."