4 INLD legislators disqualified

The four MLAs of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), who had switched sides by joining the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), were disqualified as members of the Haryana assembly by Speaker Kanwar Pal here on Tuesday.

The decision has come just a month ahead of the assembly elections in Haryana.

Those disqualified included Dabwali MLA Naina Singh Chautala, wife of Ajay Singh Chautala and mother of JJP leader Dushyant Chautala.

The other legislators are Anoop Dhanak (Uklana), Rajdeep Phogat (Dadri) and Prithi Singh (Narwana).

The action came on two petitions filed by INLD's Balwan Singh and party's senior leader Abhay Singh Chauata, the speaker said.

The petitions were filed on March 25 and July 26.

The INLD leaders had petitioned before the speaker to declare them disqualified on account of their voluntarily giving up the membership of the INLD.

"I hold that respondents Pirthi Singh, Rajdeep, Naina Singh Chautala and Anoop Dhanak in both the petitions deserve disqualification," the speaker said in an order on Tuesday.

Since the split in the INLD last year and the formation of the JJP, both parties are going through a rough phase with some of their leaders joining the opposition camp.