New Delhi, June 16 -- Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will review both sides of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) regarding a merger request filed by a rebel faction of the party and make a decision after hearing them, sources said on Tuesday.

The development comes amid a high-voltage standoff between the Speaker's office and the TMC leadership over the timing of summons issued to the party's National General Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee.

TMC sources told ANI that the Lok Sabha Speaker's Office sent an email to Abhishek Banerjee on June 15 at 2 pm.

At the time the email was sent, Banerjee was appearing before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning, a process during which he did not have access to his mobile phone or personal emails.

T...