Amid Maharashtra Crisis, Application in SC Over Pending Plea Against Dissenters

MP Congress leader Jaya Thakur has moved an application before the Supreme Court against a previously pending plea.

The Supreme Court. Image used for representational purpose.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

In the backdrop of the recent political crisis in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Jaya Thakur has moved an application before the Supreme Court against a previously pending plea seeking urgent directions to restrain legislators who have been disqualified from the Assembly, or have resigned, from contesting elections up to five years, Bar and Beach reported.

Thakur, in the application, stated that since there has been no movement in the matter, political outfits are taking advantage of the situation and continuously try to destroy elected state governments.

"Recently, same thing(s) are repeated in State of Maharashtra. These political parties again trying to destroy the Democratic Fabric of our country. Therefore immediately direction of this Hon'ble in this application for direction," Bar and Bench reported, quoting the application.

A Bench of then-Chief Justice SA Bobde, Justice AS Bopana and Justice V Ramasubramanian had previously issued a notice in the case. However, Thakur’s current application says that the government has not filed a reply yet.

The application had noted a trend of political parties rendering provisions of the Xth schedule redundant which is developing across the nation. The trend sees ruling party MLAs who resign from the house which leads to a fall of the government.

The resigned ministers, in turn, are provided with ministerial posts by the new government, who also give them tickets to re-contest during by-elections.

The application submitted that following the disqualification of a member of the house under the Xth schedule, they should not be permitted to contest an election during the current term.

"The result is that due to this, people of the State are denied stability and the Voters are denied their right to choose and elect representative having a common ideology," the application said, as Bar and Bench reported.

(With inputs from Bar and Bench)