BSP MLAs' merger with Cong: Rajasthan HC to pronounce verdict today

The Rajasthan High Court will pronounce its verdict on the plea filed by BJP leader Madan Dilawar on the issue of the merger of six BSP MLAs with the Congress today. Dilawar had approached the Court with an appeal against its earlier order refusing stay on the functioning of the BSP MLAs as Congress legislators.

Jaipur (Rajasthan):The Rajasthan High Court will on Thursday pronounce its verdict on the plea filed by BJP leader Madan Dilawar on the issue of merger of six BSP MLAs with the Congress.

Arguing for Assembly Speaker CP Joshi, advocate Kapil Sibal told the court that the petition is not maintainable.

The court will further hear the matter at 2 pm today, following which it will pronounce its verdict.

Earlier yesterday, the High Court had issued notice to the state assembly speaker on a set of appeals filed by Dilawar and BSP national secretary Satish Mishra on the issue of merger of six BSP MLAs with the Congress.

The duo approached the division bench of the high court with an appeal against the order of a single judge refusing stay on the functioning of the six BSP MLAs as Congress legislators.

Both the parties had filed writ petitions challenging the decision of Speaker CP Joshi in September 2019 allowing merger of the six BSP MLAs with the Congress.

Read:BSP MLAs' merger with Cong: HC seeks Rajasthan Speaker's response

The single bench had issued notices to the speaker and secretary of the assembly and the six MLAs on July 30 and directed them to submit replies on August 11.

However, the court had not granted any interim relief. The parties had demanded a stay on the participation of the six MLAs in the proceeding in the House as Congress legislators.

Against this, the BJP MLA and BSP had filed separate appeals on Tuesday and made a mention for urgent listing of the same before the division bench.

Six BSP MLAs-- Sandeep Yadav, Wajib Ali, Deepchand Kheria, Lakhan Meena, Jogendra Awana and Rajendra Gudha -- had defected to the Congress in September last year.

Read:Rebel MLAs should give up BJP's hospitality: Surjewala