BJP demands resignation of Uttarakhand Assembly speaker after SC verdict on Arunachal Pradesh

Dehradun: Buoyed by the Supreme Court’s ruling on Arunachal Pradesh, BJP on Tuesday demanded the resignation of Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker and Deputy Speaker saying the apex court’s order makes it clear that the Speaker cannot disqualify a member until the disposal of no-confidence motion pending against himself. [caption id=“attachment_2902818” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Firstpost/Sandip Roy[/caption] Describing the recent Supreme Court ruling as a “life-saver” for the disqualified MLAs of Uttarakhand, state BJP president and Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Ajay Bhatt in a statement said the order has the potential to put the clock back in the state. Questioning the action of Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal of ousting the rebel MLAs, Bhatt asked how could the Speaker and his deputy initiate the process of disqualifying the legislators even before the disposal of a no-confidence motion against himself (Kunjwal) for his “unconstitutional conduct” in the state Assembly. Accusing Kunjwal of setting aside Constitutional norms in disqualifying rebel MLAs with the intention of saving the Harish Rawat government by “hook or by crook”, Bhatt demanded the resignations of both the Speaker and his deputy Anusuya Prasad Maikhuri, saying they could at least partially atone for “their sin of murdering democracy” by quitting their offices. 26 BJP MLAs supported by nine rebel Congress legislators had brought a no-confidence motion against the Speaker on the evening of 18 March when he rejected their demand for a division of votes on the appropriation bill in the Assembly. However, even before taking a call on the motion, the Speaker began the process of disqualifying the MLAs who had revolted against their own government. Disqualification of the nine disgruntled MLAs had helped Rawat in a big way as he won a Supreme Court-monitored floor test in the state Assembly with relative ease.