Rajasthan HC issues Notice to speaker, 6 MLAs

The Rajasthan High Court today issued show cause notices to the Speaker and six BSP MLAs who merged the party with the Congress early last year enabling the latter to secure a majority in the state assembly. The notices were issued on a petition filed by the BSP through its state unit president Bhagwan Singh Baba. In the petition, it has been alleged the Speaker has been deliberately deferring hearing of the petition filed before him to declare the six BSP MLAs ineligible to hold the post under the Anti-Defection Law. The petition contended since the party won a total of six seats represented by these MLAs, they had no right to merge a national level party locally just to help the Congress gain a majority in the assembly. "The party has requested the High Court to disqualify the MLAs under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution," Ajeemuddin, counsel for the petitioner, said. The notices were issued to State minister for Health Rajkumar Sharma and five other MLAs -- Mrarilal Meena, Girraj Singh Meena, Rajendra Singh Gudha, Ramkesh Meena, and Ramesh Chandra Meena.