Imphal, June 8: In a jolt to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Manipur government, the High Court on Monday issued an order barring seven legislators of the party to attend the State Legislative Assembly. The MLAs who have been restrained from entering the Legislature had defected to the BJP after the assembly elections in 2017. Migrant Workers, Travelling on Shramik Special Train to Manipur, Attacked in Bihar, CM N Biren Singh Demands Action.

The Congress had moved a fresh plea before the High Court,  days after the Supreme Court had directed the Speakers' Tribunal to decide on the disqualification petitions filed against the legislators. Alleging unprecedented delay by the Speaker, the party moved the High Court to seek an urgent resolution to their plea.

The Manipur High Court, after hearing both sides of the arguments in the trial that ended on June 5, pronounced its order today. The bench, in its order, restrained the 7 rebel Congress MLAs, who joined BJP, from entering the Legislative Assembly till the Speaker Tribunal issues verdict on their disqualification case.

Update by ANI

The seven rebel MLAs, who crossed over the BJP, are as follows:  Ginsuanhau Zou, Ngamthang Haokip, Yengkhom Surchandra Singh, Paonam Brojen, Sanasam Bira Singh, Oinam Lukhoi Singh and  Kshetrimayum Biren Singh. If convicted under the anti-defection law, they could be barred from contesting elections for next six years.

In the 2017 assembly elections, the Congress had emerged as the single-largest party winning 27 seats - slightly short of the majority mark in 60-member assembly. The BJP, which won 22 constituencies, inked a post-poll alliance with smaller regional parties to displace the Ikrom Ibobi Singh government from power.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 08, 2020 03:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).