Purno among 100 to lose post in M’laya Govt., De-notification after Central Rule

Shillong: Over 100 persons with political affiliations, including NCP leader P A Sangma, who were in boards and corporations under the Meghalaya Government, have lost their posts after they were de-notified in the wake of imposition of President’s Rule in the State. “All political appointees to various boards and corporations under the government have been de-notified, and facilities extended to them withdrawn. This has been done to maintain impartiality and fair play,” a government official told PTI here on Sunday.

Besides NCP leader P A Sangma, who was the Chairman of the State Planning Board, former Chief Minister and United Democratic Party leader JD Rymbai also lost his post as the Chairman of State Economic Development Council.

Among others were 17 sitting MLAs, 19 former legislators and persons with political affiliations, who were appointed as chairpersons or members of at least 25 different boards, councils, corporations and other agencies.

The chairman of a board is entitled to get perks and allowances of over Rs 30,000 along with a slew of other facilities.

All the appointments were made by the then ruling five-party Meghalaya Progressive Alliance last year, in an apparent bid to pacify all the member partners of the coalition as well as to rehabilitate candidates who had lost the assembly elections to their rivals.

Central rule was imposed in the State on March 19 after the Governor cited a ‘constitutional breakdown’ in the wake of a controversial trust vote that was survived by the MPA with the casting vote of the Speaker. (PTI)

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Govt formation: MUA likely to stake claim today
Speaker ready to upset Cong apple cart

SHILLONG: Amid fresh reports of Congress-led MUA’s attempt to form the government with deserters of MPA, Assembly Speaker Bindo M Lanong has reiterated that his order on suspension of five MLAs was still in force despite the Gauhati High Court rulings.

Mr Lanong on Sunday said though the Gauhati High Court had stayed the interim suspension of the five legislators, he would stand by his own decision on the matter.

When his attention was drawn to attempts by both MPA and MUA to form the government, Mr Lanong said, “As the Assembly Speaker, I have no comment on which group should stake its claim to form the government.”

On whether the five suspended MLAs would be disqualified from the Assembly, the Speaker said, “The disqualification of the MLAs would be as per procedure.”

Meanwhile, a day after MPA staked its claim to form the government in the State, Congress-led MUA on Sunday renewed its claim that it enjoyed a clear majority of 31 legislators and said it would ask Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary soon to invite it for formation of the government.

According to Congress sources, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader DD Lapang, currently in New Delhi, may fax the list of 31 MUA legislators to the Raj Bhavan from the national capital on Monday.

Mr Lapang is reportedly holding meetings with AICC leaders in New Delhi briefing them on the current political stalemate in Meghalaya. He is also consulting legal experts there about Congress’s next course of action back home.

Sources say the list of MLAs prepared by MUA comprises 26 Congress legislators, an Independent and four of the five suspended MLAs — Paul Lyngdoh (KHNAM), Sanbor Shullai (NCP), Limison D Sangma (Independent) and Ismail R Marak (Independent). The last four legislators, along with Dr Adviser Pariong (HSPDP), had forfeited their voting rights and status as members of the Assembly following the March-16 order issued by Speaker Mr Lanong under the anti-defection law.

MUA failed to defeat MPA in the trust vote by a whisker on March 27. The confidence motion ended in a 27:27 tie. The Dr Donkupar Roy Government, however, survived the floor test through the crucial vote of the Speaker.

Despite the Supreme Court (SC) allowing the Speaker to go ahead

with disqualification proceedings against two of the five suspended MLAs, MUA is banking on the support of four suspended legislators to prove its majority in the House.

The SC, by an order, recently vacated the Gauhati High Court (HC)’s ruling that put on hold the suspension of Paul Lyngdoh and Limison Sangma. The HC later delivered similar orders staying suspension of three other MLAs.

Now, all eyes are on the Speaker. His next course of action would determine the fate of the suspended MLAs.

When contacted, CLP spokesperson Dr RC Laloo did not say clearly when MUA would stake its claim before the Governor to form the government.

“We (MUA) have the majority with 31 MLAs. MUA will stake its claim to form the government at the right time,” Dr Laloo said on Sunday.

MPA on Saturday submitted a representation to Governor Mr Mooshahary, staking its claim to form the government, saying it had the majority in the House.

The non-Congress alliance also placed before the Governor a list of 28 legislators, excluding UDP MLA and Speaker Mr Lanong. Dr Pariong also figured in the list of MPA legislators.

MPA said the disqualification proceedings against Dr Pariong should be dropped as HSPDP had already withdrawn its complaint to the Speaker against him.

Source: http://www.theshillongtimes.com/

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