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Speaker refuses to answer court about House proceedings

Meghalaya Speaker E K Mawlong has refused to accept the Shillong bench of Guwahati high court's stay order regarding the temporary suspension and withdrawal of voting rights to former community and rural development minister M War.

The court has issued a show cause notice in this regard to the speaker. He has been asked to reply within 15 days, before August 2.

War was elected to the assembly on a Hill States People's Democratic Party ticket. She joined the B B Lyngdoh ministry but later resigned to group up with the Opposition, the Congress-led United Meghalaya Parliamentary Forum.

Mawlong told reporters that as per the provisions of Article 212 of the Constitution, the court could not interfere in House proceedings.

He claimed that certain unauthorised persons were also forcing him to accept the court notice, which he had refused as per the law.

According to the 10th Schedule of the Constitution, he said, the decision of the speaker in the House was final. No court had the power to challenge it.

Mawlong said he was consulting legal personalities about the matter.

UNI

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