Imphal: Four National People’s Party (NPP) MLAs were served notices by the Manipur Speaker’s Tribunal and have been asked to respond to the allegations made in a petition related to an anti-defection case.
Manipur Congress vice-president Hareshwar Goswami sought disqualification of the four MLAs after they attended a meeting of BJP legislators convened by Chief Minister N Biren Singh in November last year, days after the NPP withdrew its support to the state government.
The notices were sent to NPP MLAs M Rameshwar Singh, J Pamei, Irengbam Nalini Devi and Thongam Shanti Singh.
They were asked to provide their “written comments/ replies” on or before February 11 before the office of the Speaker, the official said.
The Speaker’s Tribunal will hear the matter at 9.30 am on February 12.
The legislators were asked to appear before the Tribunal “in person or by person/ pleader duly authorised” by the legislator at that time, according to the notice.
The NPP has seven MLAs in the 60-member Manipur Assembly.
The anti-defection case of five JD(U) MLAs is also currently in the Manipur Speaker’s Tribunal. These legislators had joined the BJP shortly after winning the state assembly elections in 2022.
