Arabinda Dhali and Premananda Nayak had recently joined the BJP after quitting BJD ahead of the forthcoming elections.
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Assembly Speaker disqualified two MLAs — Arabinda Dhali and Premananda Nayak — who recently joined the BJP after resigning from the BJD ahead of the ensuing twin polls in the state.
The membership of Jayadev MLA Arabinda Dhali and Telkoi MLA Premananda Nayak were disqualified as per the provision under paragraph 6(1) of the 10th Schedule to the Constitution of India.
A notification on the disqualification of two members has been issued by the Odisha Legislative Assembly yesterday.
The Speaker Pramila Mallick decided after the Government Chief Whip MLA Prasanta Kumar Muduli filed a petition on March 18 under Rule 6 of the Members of Odisha Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on Ground of Defection) Rules, 1978 framed under paragraph 8 of the 10th Schedule to the Indian Constitution seeking disqualification of two members as they voluntarily gave up primary membership from the BJD in which they were elected to the Assembly.
In this regard, a notice had been sent to Dhali and Nayak for hearing on the petition. However, both did not respond to the petition nor appeared before the Speaker for personal hearing following which they ceased to be members of Odisha Assembly with immediate effect.
With the move, the seats of two in Odisha Legislative Assembly will thereupon fall vacant.
