Himachal Pradesh news: Six MLAs, disqualified after cross-voting in Rajya Sabha polls, move SC against speaker's action

Six rebel Congress MLAs—who were disqualified after they cross-voted in the recent —on Tuesday moved the to challenge their disqualification ordered by the Assembly Speaker. 

Filing a plea against the February 29 decision of the state Legislative Assembly Speaker , the rebel MLAs said that the Speaker’s order was ‘illegal and constitutional’.

The disqualified MLAs who moved to the apex court are Rajinder Rana, Sudhir Sharma, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Devinder Kumar Bhutoo, Ravi Thakur and Chetanya Sharma.

Earlier, the MLAs had moved the Himachal Pradesh High Court challenging their disqualification from the state Assembly following the defeat of party candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi in the Rajya Sabha election.

Assembly Speaker Pathania disqualified these rebel MLAs who had not only cross-voted in the recent Rajya Sabha polls but also abstained from voting on the Budget in the state Assembly, defying the party whip. The House passed the Finance Bill by voice vote.

The ruling Congress had sought disqualification of these rebel MLAs’ saying that they abstained from voting on the Budget in the Assembly, defying a party whip to vote for the government on the Finance Bill.

Meanwhile, seven BJP MLAs have received notices for allegedly creating a ruckus in the Vidhan Sabha on February 28. Confirming that notices have been sent to some BJP MLAs, Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker said the matter has been referred to the Privileges Committee.

"Notices have been received from some members (on the ruckus) and I have also taken suo motu notice. The matter has been referred to the Privileges Committee," PTI quoted Pathania as saying.

"The indiscipline created by BJP legislators inside the House invites action for breach of privilege, rules