HC issues notice to Arunachal Speaker on merger with PPA

The Gauhati High Court on Thursday issued notices to Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker and all 43 former Congress MLAs on a petition challenging the legality behind the merger of Congress' state unit with the People's Party of Arunachal (PPA).

The writ petition was filed in the high court by Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee chief Padi Richo.

The bench issued notice to Chief Minister Pema Khandu and other 42 MLAs who claim to have merged with PPA.

It issued notice for consideration on the interim relief for stay of the Speaker's (Wangki Lowang) order dated September 16 by which all the MLAs have been shown as PPA members and the bulletin dated September 16 issued by the Secretary of the Legislative Assembly notifying them as PPA's members.

The petitioner said that there was no merger of the state unit of Congress and that there was no merger at any level.

The petitioner pointed out that the election law does not permit merger of state unit of the national party to state party, as intimated by the Election Commission to the president of AICC, as per the election symbol (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.

Khandu, who was also the Congress Chief Minister, changed his party on September 16 and along with 42 MLAs merged with PPA.

"This was accepted by the Speaker and they were notified as PPA members in "Assembly Bulletin"," said the petition.

--IANS

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