Vidhan Sabha Secretariat acts on complaint by Congress MLA Ajay Solanki
TNR Desk
As the announcement of Lok Sabha elections looms, the political landscape in Himachal Pradesh has taken a dramatic turn with the issuance of notices to nine BJP MLAs who caused “chaos” in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly during the recent budget session.
These notices, prompted by a complaint filed by Congress MLA Ajay Solanki, have been issued by the Assembly Secretariat under Article 194 of the Constitution.
Satti, Hans Raj among 9 MLAs
The BJP MLAs named in the notices include Satpal Singh Satti, Inder Singh Gandhi, Vinod Kumar, Hans Raj, Surendra Shourie, Vipin Parmar, Deepraj, Trilok Jamwal and Lokendra Kumar. They have been asked to respond in writing to the notice by March 18, failing which Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania reserves the right to take action as per regulations.
Action on ‘unruly behaviour’ on Feb 28
The genesis of the development lies in the tumultuous events that unfolded during the budget session of the Assembly on February 28. As the House prepared to pass the budget, Speaker Pathania announced the implementation of guillotine procedures at 3 pm. However, pandemonium ensued, leading to the expulsion of 15 BJP members from the House.
Despite efforts to restore order, BJP MLAs disrupted proceedings by allegedly chanting slogans, causing disturbance and even hurling papers at the Speaker, prompting a complaint from Congress MLA Solanki to the Assembly Speaker.
Deadline coincides with SC hearing of rebel MLAs
Solanki’s complaint detailed the unruly behaviour of BJP members, alleging threats, objectionable slogans and disruption of the Assembly’s impartial proceedings. The complaint underscored the jeopardy posed to the privileges and security of other members by the conduct of the BJP MLAs. Consequently, Solanki demanded action on the matter from the Assembly Speaker.
March 18 assumes significance for both the Congress government and the opposition BJP as it marks the deadline for the BJP MLAs to respond to the notices. Coincidentally, on the same day, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a case regarding six disqualified Congress rebels, adding to the political tension in the state.
Will Raj Bhavan come to rescue of BJP MLAs?
Against the backdrop of these developments, speculation looms over the potential intervention of Raj Bhavan, which could play a pivotal role in shaping the state’s political trajectory. With the BJP likely to contest the notices issued to its MLAs, Raj Bhavan may emerge as a critical arbiter in the unfolding political saga in Himachal Pradesh.
