Kolkata, Aug. 25 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought responses from around 20 MPs facing disqualification petitions filed by Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee over their alleged defection from the party to the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), but refrained from issuing notice to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was hearing Banerjee's plea alleging delay in deciding the petitions pending before the Speaker.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, urged the court not to issue notice to the Speaker. Justice Bagchi said the court was not seeking to pass an order against a constitutional authority but wanted to ensure that the petitions were decided in a timely manner.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.