Scrutinising HC order upholding appointment of 3 BJP MLAs: Puducherry Speaker

Puducherry Assembly Speaker V Vaithilingam has informed the three BJP MLAs, nominated to the House by the Centre, that he is "carefully scrutinising" the Madras High Court order upholding their appointment.

The three BJP members -- V Saminathan, K G Shankar and S Selvaganapathy -- were nominated by LG Kiran Bedi last year.

The Assembly Speaker had on November 12 last year cancelled their nominations, declaring them invalid.

Vaithilingam informed the three members through Assembly Secretary A Vincent Rayar that he would make a decision "shortly" after consulting legal experts and "until then there would be no change in my decision announced on November 12 last year".

The Speaker's communication to the three members was a reply to their letters he and the Assembly Secretary had received on March 24 and 25 requesting them to comply with the March 22 high court order upholding their nominations.

"With great respect to the High Court of Madras, I would say that before passing an order on my decision dated November 12 last year I should have been given an opportunity of being heard. Here I was neither heard nor made a party in the writ petitions," the communication read.

"The principles of natural justice have not not been followed. The order of the High Court was passed without hearing me. As such there is infirmity and lack of constitutional clarity in the order of the Madras High Court," the Speaker pointed out in his communication to the members.

The Assembly will convene tomorrow for three days to adopt a Vote on Account Bill to earmark funds to the government for the first few months of 2018-2019.