two-mlas-lose-membership-of-jharkhand-legislative-assembly

The Assembly Speaker dismissed JP Patel and Lobin Hembrom for contesting Lok Sabha polls against party lines

 

The Speaker's Tribunal of Jharkhand Legislative Assembly today gave its verdict in the defection case of Jharkhand Congress leader Jay Prakash Bhai Patel and JMM leader Lobin Hembram. The tribunal terminated the assembly membership of both the MLAs. This order will come into effect from July 26.

 

A case of defection has been registered against both leaders after they fought the Lok Sabha elections 2024 against party lines.

 

Just before the Lok Sabha polls BJP leader JP Patel had left the party and joined the Congress. He then contested the Lok Sabha elections from Hazaribag on a Congress ticket and lost.

 

However, Patel did not resign from the Assembly membership. Regarding this, BJP leader Amar Kumar Bauri had applied to the Assembly Speaker's Tribunal and demanded action under defection laws.

 

Arguing on Bauri’s behalf, advocate Vinod Kumar Sahu had said that JP Patel had won the assembly elections on a BJP ticket, but during the Lok Sabha elections he changed the party without resigning from the assembly membership. Therefore, his membership should be cancelled.

 

On the other hand, JMM President Shibu Soren had applied with the Assembly Speaker against Lobin Hembram. Advocate Ankitesh Kumar Jha, who argued on Soren’s behalf, told the tribunal that Lobin Hembram has been involved in anti-party activities. He contested the Lok Sabha elections against the JMM candidate from the Rajmahal seat. This has tarnished the image of the party and thus his membership should be terminated.

 

Hembram, however, said that his expulsion from the party and this claim does not seem appropriate, because the party president has taken action against him. However, according to the bylaws of JMM, the said order has to be approved in the Central Committee meeting within four months. But this has not happened.

 

After hearing both parties Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto finally pronounced his verdict on Thursday and dismissed both the leaders from the House.

 

Notably, the Speaker has given a verdict in the case in just two months, but he has kept his order reserved in a similar case against State BJP President and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi for several months.