Our Correspondent
Kohima, August 7 (EMN): The Naga People’s Front (NPF) under its president Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu has filed a disqualification petition against 36 NPF legislators for defying the directive issued by the party whip and voting in favour of expelled member and Chief Minister TR Zeliang during the July 21 floor test. Zeliang had then won the trust vote in the Assembly with 47 out of 58 MLAs voting in his favour after he moved motion of confidence in the House, while 11 (10 NPF and 1 independent) voted against him.
As per the provisions of the Members of Nagaland Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on Ground of Defection) Rules 2003 rule No.6 under the sub-header ‘Disqualification for voting in the House contrary to direction issued’, a petition for disqualification can be made after the expiry of 15 days from the date of voting/abstention.
Interestingly, Chief Minister TR Zeliang, who was also appointed as the whip of the NPF party by the majority of legislators supporting him, also reportedly filed a second petition today for disqualification of the 10 NPF MLAs who had voted against him during the floor test.
“Petition (was filed) for Disqualification in Form P-2 before the Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly as prescribed by the Members of Nagaland Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on Ground of Defection) Rules, 2003, against 10 MLAs namely, (i) Kiyanilie Peseyie (ii) Y. Vikheho Swu (III) Chotisuh Sazo (iv) Kuzholuzo Nienu (v) Yitachu (vi) C.L John (vii) N. Thongwang Konyak (viii) P. Longon (ix) R. Tohanba, and (x) R. Torechu; who had acted contrary to the direction issued by TR Zeliang on 19.7.2017 as Whip of NPF during the sitting of the House held on 21.7.2017,” states a copy of the purported petition issued by the Chief Minister’s Office.
“On Friday 4.8.2017, TR Zeliang had earlier, filed a composite Disqualification Petition against the above 10 MLAs seeking disqualification under Paragraph 2(1)(b) of the Tenth Schedule which was necessitated as the 10 NPF MLAs had violated the Whip as well as the communication and were absent from the sitting of the House held on 19.7.2017 though TR Zeliang had issued Whip to the 10 MLAS on 18.7.2017, as per the resolution of the NPF Legislature Party Meeting held on 4th July, 2017 appointing him as Whip of the NPF Party under Rule 6(4)(c)(i),” the release stated.
