Naga People's Front to move HC against Speaker's ruling on rebel MLAs

Zeliang lauds NLA speaker for fair proceedings

Our Correspondent
Kohima, July 15 (EMN): While acknowledging the fairness on the part of the NLA speaker Sharingain Longkumer in the proceedings of the disqualification petition against seven NPF MLAs, the leader of opposition, TR Zeliang, said the judgement was pronounced arbitrarily, compelling the aggrieved party to move to higher court.

"At the end of the day, he (NLA speaker) has to follow the advice of somebody, so he has delivered the judgement arbitrarily, that justice was not done to the petitioners. So, naturally the aggrieved party has to go to higher court," Zeliang said on Wednesday after the NPF legislature party meeting held at the Assembly Secretariat in Kohima.

He said that they deliberated on the judgement of the speaker and also discussed on their next move. “We have decided to go to higher court against the speaker’s judgement,” he added.

During the meeting, he said they passed a resolution to go to higher court but after taking the consent of the party president.

He added that the legislature party had authorised him to pursue the matter in consultation with the party president. After which, he said, the matter will go to the court with an appeal against the judgement of the speaker.

He informed that most probably, they will go back to Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, because it had directed the speaker to decide the matter within six weeks, which expired on July 13, and the speaker delivered his judgement on July 14, a day behind the scheduled time stipulated by the court.

Therefore, "we have to go back to the same court", he said.

The leader of opposition also acknowledged that the speaker in one way had "done justice".

"He has carried out the proceeding of the case for the first time in the history of Nagaland Assembly, that he allowed both the parties to examine the witnesses and to cross examine the petitioners by the respondent’s lawyers and the petitioner’s lawyers were allowed to cross examine the respondents witnesses. So, he has done fairly; for the first of its kind which was never done in the past (sic),” Zeliang observed.

The speaker had invited both the parties -- seven members each -- and joint hearing took place. He also gave ample time for both the parties to question each other and even allowed both petitioners and respondents to submit in writing whatever affidavit they have submitted. On top of that, he allowed them to give in writing whatever argument they had made before him.

Accordingly, they submitted the written copies as well. He has done fairly -- the proceeding of the case, Zeliang said.

The disqualification petition was filed on April 24 2019 by legislators Imkong L Imchen and Chotisuh Sazo on behalf of the NPF against its seven dissident MLAs -- Kejong Chang, EE Pangteang, Eshak Konyak, CL John, BS Nganlang Phom, N Thongwang Konyak and Toyang Chang.