It's official: Sentenced Jharkhand MLA loses House membership

The Jharkhand Assembly on Saturday issued a notification announcing that Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA Yogendra Prasad Mahto has lost his legislature membership as he was convicted and awarded a three-year jail term in a coal theft case.

As per the notification, the membership of JMM legislator has been terminated with effect from January 31 -- the day he was convicted and and the sentence was pronounced -- and has been rendered unfit to contest any elections during the sentence period.

A Ramgarh court sentenced Mahto and four others to three years' rigorous imprisonment in the 2010 coal theft case.

Mahto, a resident of Ramgarh district and a legislator from Gomia assembly seat, owned a coke plant.

In 2010, the Jharkhand police had lodged the coal theft case him, as illegal coal was recovered from his coke plant.

He is second legislator of the current assembly to lose membership after being convicted by a court. Two years ago, All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) legislator Kamal Kishore Bhagat was convicted and awarded seven years' imprisonment in another case.

As per the constitutional provisions, if a legislator or a member of Parliament is convicted and awarded at least two years' imprisonment, then he/ she will lose the membership of assembly/ Parliament.

--IANS

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