The Arunachal Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution to ‘impeach’ Speaker Nabam Rebia by a voice vote. The resolution signatured consent of 33 members, including 20 rebel Congress MLAs, 11 from the BJP and two independents. The vote was boycotted by supporters of Chief Minister Nabam Tuki.
27 members of the House, including the Chief Minister, his ministerial colleagues and 16 Congress MLAs abstained from the proceedings chaired by Deputy Speaker T Norbu Thongdok, held at the makeshift venue of a community hall, after the district administration ‘sealed’ the Assembly Secretariat Complex apprehending law and order problem.
Amid high drama, 34 MLAs seeking removal of the Speaker, including his deputy Thongdok, met at the community hall for the session.
Thongdok called out the name of Rebia to allow him offer a clarification, if any, on the impeachment notice but the Speaker was not present.
The resolution was then put to vote and was supported by 20 dissident Congress MLAs, barring the Deputy Speaker who did not vote, 11 of BJP MLAs and two independents.
All 33 of them also put their signature of consent on the resolution, which was then declared passed. Arunachal Pradesh has a 60-member Assembly.
Tension prevailed around the Assembly complex which was sealed by the district administration.
Police lobbed four tear gas shells to disperse supporters of the rival Congress factions, who laid a virtual siege to the House.
Stones were hurled by the two sides which damaged a vehicle. 11 BJP MLAs and two independents had served the notice for impeachment motion against the Speaker on November 19 to the Assembly secretary.