Manipur Guv did not act according to instructions by ECI, says Rahul Gandhi

IMPHAL:

Congress leader and former President of the Indian National Congress (INC) Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday, said that Manipur Governor Najma Heptullah did not act according to the instructions given by the Election Commission of India (ECI) as she failed to disqualify 12 MLAs who held the post of parliamentary secretaries in 2017.

“Twelve BJP Manipur MLAs should have been disqualified in 2018 in an office of profit case. Now, ECI says that Manipur Governor has already been instructed about the same, but no action has been taken yet. Entirely unconstitutional of the Governor to protect BJP,” Gandhi tweeted.

Earlier, former Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh, Congress Working Committee (CWC) member G. Gaikhangam, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President Govindas Konthoujam and other Manipur Congress MLAs met Gandhi in Delhi to discuss the matter.

The Manipur High Court in September 2020 had termed the appointment of 12 MLAs, who had been appointed as parliamentary secretaries in 2017 as unconstitutional.

The 12 MLAs include L. Sushindro of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), BJP MLAs — N. Indrajit, L. Rameshwor, Th. Saytabrata, H. Dingo, S Ranjan, S. Subhachandra and K. Robindro, K. Leishiyo, Khasim Vashum, Awangbou Newmai of the Naga People’s Front and Independent MLA Ashab Uddin.

(Edited by Shankar Kumar Turha)

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