The six MLAs of the ruling Congress in Himachal Pradesh who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls held in the state on Tuesday were disqualified by the Assembly Speaker on Thursday.
“I declare that the six people cease to be members of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly with immediate effect,” said the Speaker, Kuldeep Singh Pathania.
Pathania had issued notices to the six legislators on Wednesday demanding their response on the matter.
The disqualification petition had been filed by the state’s Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harsh Wardhan Chauhan under the anti-defection law.
Before the disqualification of the six MLAs, the Congress had 40 legislators in the 68-member Assembly. While the BJP has 25 seats, the remaining three members are independents.
The Rajya Sabha polls resulted in a tie with both candidates securing 34 votes. This indicated that the six Congress MLAs had voted against their party’s candidate Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Bharatiya Janata Party’s Harsh Mahajan was then declared the winner based on a draw of lots, as per the procedure.
Meanwhile Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday claimed that the Congress was in touch with some MLAs who had voted in favour of the BJP. He also denied reports claiming that he was planning to resign as the chief minister.
