Oppn slams delay in accepting MLA Ranjit Singh’s resignation
Haryana assembly speaker, Gian Chand Gupta’s move to ask independent MLA from Rania, Ranjit Singh to make a personal appearance on April 23 for verification of his resignation from the state legislature, a month after Singh joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has invited criticism from the opposition parties. Singh is also a cabinet minister in the BJP government.
Ranjit Singh, who on March 24 joined the BJP to contest Lok Sabha polls from Hisar, had submitted his resignation from the assembly, which, as per the Speaker, was sent by the MLA to the assembly on the same day.
However, even after three weeks, the Speaker is yet to accept Singh’s resignation.
“As the resignation of Independent MLA from Rania, Ranjit Singh was not delivered personally by the MLA, I have to make an inquiry regarding the authenticity of the resignation. I have asked Ranjit Singh to make a personal appearance on April 23 for verifying the resignation,” said Gupta.
When asked about his resignation, Ranjit Singh, who was on the way to a poll meeting on Wednesday, said that he had submitted his resignation long back.
“Yeh to purani baat ho gayi (This is old news),’’ he said while hurriedly disconnecting the phone.
What does the rules of procedure say
Section 58 1(B) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Haryana assembly say that if the Speaker receives a letter of resignation either by post or through someone else, the Speaker may make such inquiry as he thinks fit to satisfy himself that the resignation is voluntary and genuine. “If the Speaker, after making a summary inquiry either himself or through the agency of Vidhan Sabha secretariat or through such other agency, as he may deem fit, is satisfied that the resignation is not voluntary or genuine, he shall not accept the resignation,’’ the rule said.
Can’t the speaker make a phone call to verify: Abhay Chautala
Questioning the deliberate delay in accepting Singh’s resignation. Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA, Abhay Singh Chautala said that instead of waiting for a month, the Speaker should have just dialed Ranjit Singh to verify the authenticity of his resignation. “Why is the matter being allowed to linger on? I am going to write to the Speaker to disqualify the Rania MLA as per the Tenth Schedule. The sole aim to delay accepting the resignation is ensure that a byelection for Rania assembly seat is not held,’’ said Chautala, who is Singh’s nephew.
Congress general secretary and former Haryana minister Randeep Singh Surjewala said that the resignation tendered by an MLA who is also a minister has to be accepted immediately without delay.
“These are deliberate delaying tactics. The BJP is scared of contesting Rania assembly bypoll. The Speaker is acting in a mala fide manner by not accepting the resignation. It is a travesty of the Constitution being perpetuated by the government and the Speaker,” Surjewala said.
The former minister said that Ranjit Singh joined the BJP on March 24 and was fielded by the saffron party for the Hisar Lok Sabha constituency the same day. “Actually, there is no confusion at all. Section 2 (2) of the Tenth Schedule to the Constitution (the anti-defection law) clearly lays down that an elected member of a House who has been elected as such otherwise than as a candidate set up by a political party shall be disqualified for being a member of the House if he joins any political party after such election. If Ranjit Singh did not tender resignation before joining the BJP, he stands disqualified under the anti-defection law anyway. There is no protection for him either way,’’ said Surjewala.
Congress MLA from Mullana, Varun Chaudhary said if Ranjit Singh’s resignation is accepted from the back date, the Election Commission should order holding of Rania assembly bypolls as it has done in the case of Karnal assembly seat. “In no way the delay in accepting the resignation should hinder the process of Election Commission to hold Rania assembly by poll,” said Chaudhary.