Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania has disqualified six Congress MLAs on grounds of violating the party whip, a move that has temporarily shifted the balance of power in favour of the ruling party.
The disqualified MLAs—Sudhir Sharma, Rajinder Rana, I.D. Lakhanpal, Ravi Thakur, Chaitanya Sharma, and Davinder Bhutto—were absent during the crucial budget vote, defying the party’s directive. The Speaker, after an exhaustive hearing, declared their disqualification under the Anti-Defection Law, stating they cease to be members of the assembly with immediate effect.
This development comes after the Speaker earlier ‘expelled’ 15 BJP MLAs, including Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, paving the way for the ruling party to pass the budget unopposed. The Congress, which had issued a whip to all its 40 MLAs to remain present, faced rebellion from the six absentees during the budget vote.
While the Congress argued for their disqualification, the MLAs’ representative, senior advocate Satya Pal Jain, contended that they were not given adequate time to respond. The Speaker, however, maintained that proper notice was served and the decision was taken in accordance with legal principles.
The disqualification of these MLAs has momentarily tilted the balance in the assembly, highlighting the deepening political crisis in Himachal Pradesh. The disqualified members have the option to challenge the Speaker’s decision in court, setting the stage for further political upheaval in the state.
