HC quashes Speaker's order disqualifying MLA

Kerala High Court today quashed the order of Assembly Speaker disqualifying former rebel Kerala Congress (M) leader P C George as a member of the House in November last year.
Justice V Chitambaresh cited rules and directed Speaker N Sakthan to reconsider George's application for resignation after hearing him.
The Judge found that the Speaker took the decision to disqualify George without considering the resignation letter submitted by him while the issue was pending before him.
George was disqualified as member of the state Assembly by the Speaker on November 13 last year under anti-defection law on a petition by Kerala Congress (M).

While taking the decision, the Speaker had rejected George's application for resignation from the assembly submitted to him earlier.
George challenged the Speaker's decision before the High Court.

During the hearing on the petition, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had also appeared before the Speaker to depose against George.
The action against George was taken on the basis of a petition filed by KC-M leader and government Chief Whip Thomas Unniyadan seeking his disqualification for alleged anti-party activities since an assembly by-election held in June last.
George, who represented Poonjar Assembly constituency, had been at loggerheads for the past one year with his party supremo and former Finance Minister K M Mani and ruling Congress-led UDF.

He had tendered his resignation letter to the Speaker a day ahead of the Speaker's verdict, apparently anticipating the adverse verdict on his disqualification.
Following the demand of Kerala Congress (M), the third largest partner in UDF, George was removed from the post of Government Chief Whip in April last year after he openly challenged party supremo K M Mani and Chandy.
Unniyadan in the petition, filed on behalf of KC-M, had alleged that George indulged in anti-party activities, violated party discipline and put up a candidate against the official UDF nominee in the Aruvikkara bypoll in June.