Pro-MASS News Bureau: Dec 16, 2015:
In Arunachal Pradesh, 14 rebel Congress MLAs were disqualified from the Legislative Assembly yesterday, a day ahead of its winter session beginning today. The Assembly will take up the impeachment motion notice served by 11 BJP and two Independent members against Speaker Nabam Rebia. A notice issued by Assembly Secretary M Lasa stated that the Congress MLAs were disqualified on the ground of defection and the constituencies from which they had won fell vacant.
The 14 disqualified MLAs included Deputy Speaker T N Thandak, who was supposed to conduct the business of the House on the impeachment motion. Led by former minister Kalikho Pul, 21 Congress MLAs out of the total 47 in the 60-member House have revolted against the leadership of Chief Minister Nabam Tuki. Governor JP Rajkhowa has re-scheduled the Assembly session from 14th January to 16th December to take up the impeachment motion.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nabam Tuki and his Council of Ministers have unanimously decided not to attend the Assembly session saying that they were not formally informed about the preponement of the house. In a press conference, Tuki and his Cabinet termed the pre-ponement of the sitting from 14 January 2016 to 16 December 2015 as unconstitutional and unacceptable. Earlier, yesterday evening, Tuki and his Council of Ministers met Governor JP Rajkhowa and requested to prorogue the sitting of the house but the Governor denied of taking any call on it.
Taking cognizance of the present political scenario, the State Home Department has expressed apprehension on the likelihood of communal tensions or clashes today. So, all the mobile SMS and internet services have been suspended for the day. Security in and around the Capital Complex has been tightened and the police have been ordered to deal with any untoward situations strictly.
