SC stops remuneration to Manipur legislator; voting rights denied

IMPHAL: The Supreme Court has stopped Y Erabot Singh, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from Wangkhei constituency of Manipur, from drawing any monetary benefits as well as casting vote in any house with respect to the office of MLA.

Wangkhei constituency had elected O Henry Singh, who contested on a Congress ticket, in the 2017 Manipur assembly polls.

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Henry's nearest contender, Erabot Singh from BJP, had later challenged his election before Manipur High Court. Henry then resigned from his post and the assembly accepted his resignation as well.

After that, Erabot Singh was declared as the MLA of Wanhkhei constituency by Manipur HC, which was later challenged by Henry stating that after he stepped down, his votes cannot be moved out and there was no guarantee that all these votes would have fallen into Erabot, not for other candidates in the fray.

After a bench of Justices U U Lalit, Indira Banerjee and K M Joseph had considered this argument relevant and noted that though Erabot Singh will be entitled to represent the Wangkhei constituency he will not be able to cast votes in the House and he will not draw any monetary benefits and allowances in respect of the office of MLA.

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