Breaking: Manipur BJP Minister Th Shyamkumar Resigns from Legislative Assembly

Imphal, March 26, 2020:

Manipur Minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar, who was restrained earlier by the Supreme Court from entering the Legislative Assembly, has resigned from the Membership.

"I have the honour to inform you that I am willing to resign from the Membership of 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly in respect of 7-Andro A/C with immediate effect i.e. today the 26th March, 2020," wrote Th. Shyamkumar in his resignation letter addressed to the Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

It may be mentioned here that the Supreme Court had also ceased the cabinet ministerial berth of the Manipur Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Minister. A bench headed by Justice Rohinton Nariman ordered that Singh, who defected to the BJP from Congress, will cease to be a minister from immediate effect.

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This came after the Supreme Court noted that Speaker Y Khemchand Singh failed to decide the disqualification petition pending against Shyamkumar within the four-week period from the date when the judgment was intimated to him by the top court. After completion of four weeks, the Speaker had reportedly filed a Miscellaneous Application and requested for another period of eight weeks to decide the cases before him.

The SC had observed that the Speaker could not sit on a disqualification petition indefinitely. The court emphasized that it was essential for the Speaker to decide on the matter within a reasonable time period.

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The apex court had also said that elected MPs or the legislative assemblies should not be allowed to continue, if they have been disqualified on anti-defection issues.

It may be mentioned here that Shyamkumar was expelled from Congress for a period of six years after he crossed over to the BJP. Singh was elected on Congress ticket from Andro constituency in Imphal East district of Manipur.

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