Jharkhand speaker culminates anti-defection proceedings against Babulal Marandi

|HT|

Jharkhand assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto on Tuesday concluded anti-defection proceedings related to Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former chief minister Babulal Marandi and reserved the judgment. People aware of the matter said Marandi could lose his assembly membership and the ruling in this regard may come early as Thursday.

The development comes amid political uncertainty following the Election Commission of India (ECI)’s ostensible recommendation for chief minister Hemant Soren’s disqualification as an assembly member. The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led coalition government has accused the BJP of trying to pull down the government. Marandi is seen as the front runner for the chief ministerial post.

JMM has 30 lawmakers and its allies Congress 18, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal one. The BJP has 26 lawmakers. The ruling alliance lawmakers were shifted to Raipur in Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh on Tuesday amid the political uncertainty.

“One aspect of the issue [hearing of complaint against Marandi] has been completed. Would continue hearing other complaints on September 1 [Thursday],” Mahto said.

RN Sahay, Marandi’s lawyer, said Mahto turned down his plea to examine witnesses. He added he sought to prove Marandi’s Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) was lawfully merged with the BJP as per provisions laid down under the anti-defection law.

“I filed a petition to recast the issues framed by the speaker for arguments on the merits of the case. However, he moved ahead with proceedings without considering and without giving an order on our petition. I also pleaded to produce evidence and witnesses for examination but that was also not allowed,” said Sahay.

Mahto insisted he was going ahead with the proceedings as per the rules.

Marandi merged his party with the BJP in February 2020 after suspending his legislators Pradeep Yadav and Bandhu Tirkey. The two legislators merged their party with Congress.

Marandi was also unanimously elected as the BJP’s legislative party leader. Mahto refused to give Marandi the status of Opposition leader and initiated anti-defection proceedings on his own. Marandi challenged the move in the high court.

Four lawmakers later filed complaints against Marandi and the speaker withdrew the suo motu proceedings. Marandi later started proceedings as per the complaints. The BJP also sought the disqualification of Tirkey and Yadav. Tirkey was later disqualified in April after being sentenced for corruption.

In May, Mahto rejected Marandi’s plea to drop anti-defection charges against him and cancel proceedings on the grounds that they were filed late.

Sahay argued the petitions against Marandi were not maintainable as they were filed 10 months after the merger and the petitions should be dismissed. He said they were to be filed within 45 days under the Representation of the People Act.

(Except for the headline and the pictorial description, this story has not been edited by THE DEN staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)