DIMAPUR, June 4 - The Kohima Bench of the Gauhati High Court has directed Nagaland Assembly Speaker Sharingain Longkumer to conclude the disqualification proceedings against seven Naga People�s Front (NPF) MLAs and pass appropriate orders within six weeks, an NPF release stated.
During a hearing on June 2, the Court asked the petitioners � MLAs Chotisuh Sazo and Imkong L Imchen � and the respondent number 1 (the Speaker) to appear before it either in person or through their authorised representatives on June 8 to receive further instructions so as to enable the Speaker to conclude the proceeding within the specific period allotted by the Court, the release said.
The NPF hoped that the Speaker would use his good office in adjudicating the matter without further delay and with fairness.
The party said the Court observed that the issues to be decided in the disqualification petition have already been framed on March 21 this year, but no further progress has been made thereafter. The Court, therefore, directed the Speaker to conclude the disqualification proceedings within the allotted time, it added.
The NPF had filed a petition before the Speaker seeking disqualification of seven of its MLAs on April 24 last year for supporting Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) candidate Tokheho Yepthomi in the Lok Sabha polls held on April 11, 2019, though the party had decided to back Congress nominee KL Chishi.
The seven MLAs are Thongwang Konyak, Eshak Konyak, EE Pangteang, BS Nganglang, Toyang Chang, Kejong Chang and CL John. In a written declaration on March 25 last year, they had announced their support to the rival NDPP candidate in the Lok Sabha elections.
