SC issues notice on plea filed by rebel Congress Himachal MLAs against disqualification

New Delhi, March 18 The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice on a plea filed by rebel Congress Himachal Pradesh legislators challenging their disqualification from the state Assembly.

The six Congress MLAs, who cross-voted for the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls, were disqualified by Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania for defying a party whip by abstaining from voting on the budget.

A bench, headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna and comprising Justice Dipankar Datta, refused to pass any interim orders staying the disqualification but issued notice on the application seeking a stay on fresh elections.

In the petition filed directly before the apex court, the rebel MLAs - Rajinder Rana, Sudhir Sharma, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Devinder Kumar Bhutoo, Ravi Thakur and Chetanya Sharma - said that the February 29 order passed by the Speaker is "illegal and constitutional".

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