HC seeks status on anti-defection cases against six JVM (P) MLAs

RANCHI: The Jharkhand high court on Wednesday sought to know from the state assembly speaker by what time the antidefection cases pending before him against six JVM (P) legislators would be disposed of.

The six legislators — Navin Jaiswal (Hatia constituency), Ashok Chourasia (Daltonganj), Amar Kumar Bouri (Chandankyari), Janki Yadav (Barkattha), Randhir Singh (Sarath) and Ganesh Ganjhu (Simaria) — contested on JVM (P) ticket but defected to the BJP around a month after the Raghubar Das government was sworn in.

The bench of justice Aparesh Kumar Singh sought the current status of the ongoing anti-defection proceedings in the speaker’s court against the six defecting JVM (P) legislators. The court sought a reply by September 13, the next date of hearing.

The counsel, representing the speaker, told the court that statements of witnesses were being recorded. After holding discussions with all parties concerned, the court would be informed about probable time frame for disposal of the case, the counsel said.

JVM (P) chief Babulal Marandi had moved the high court, challenging the assembly speaker’s interim order justifying the defection and granting them permission to sit in the treasury benches.

Marandi also filed a petition seeking the court’s directive to the speaker to expedite the anti-defection case. He argued the MLAs had violated the provisions of the Constitution (tenth schedule), for which the party filed a case seeking action against them.