Himachal assembly Speaker accepts resignations of three Independent MLAs who voted for BJP in RS polls

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker accepts resignations of three Independent MLAs who voted for BJP in Rajya Sabha polls

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania on June 3 accepted the resignations of three Independent MLAs who had voted in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls.

"Resignations have been accepted and these three MLAs cease to be members of the 14th Vidhan Sabha with immediate effect," Mr. Pathania told reporters here.

Independent MLAs Hoshiyar Singh (Dehra), Ashish Sharma (Hamirpur) and K. L. Thakur (Nalagarh) had voted in favour of BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan in the February 27 Rajya Sabha elections along with six Congress rebels.

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The three MLAs resigned from the assembly on March 22 but the Speaker did not accept their resignations, saying he had received a representation from the Congress legislative party that they had took the decision under duress and not voluntarily.

These MLAs joined the BJP on March 23 and moved the Himachal Pradesh High Court seeking directions to the speaker to accept their resignations. However, due to divergent views on whether the Court could issue directions to the Speaker in this regard, the matter was referred to a third judge. It is pending in the Court.

The MLAs had also staged a dharna in the Vidhan Sabha complex to press their demand.