The People's Conference (PC) party and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday filed a complaint with Mizoram Assembly Speaker Lalbiakzama against 16 Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) legislators for allegedly violating the rules of the House.
In their complaint, the PC and AAP alleged that 16 MLAs had "violated the rules of procedure and conduct of business in the assembly" by holding "dual memberships in committees" of the House.
Moreover, elaborating on the action by the parties, People's Conference president Vanlalruata, said, we have also submitted a similar complaint to the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) and the Val Upa Council (VUC), an advisory body of the ruling party in the state, as according to the rule, no legislator can be a member of more than one committee, however in the case, these MLAs hold dual membership.
Further, the PC-AAP combine also alleged that four MLAs, who hold the rank of minister of state, are members of some assembly committees, which they claim violates the rules.
However, Speaker Lalbiakzama dismissed the allegations, claiming that the 16 MLAs did not violate the rules.
He said, "Section 277 (2) of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Mizoram Legislative Assembly, which prohibits legislators from becoming a member of more than one committee, has been deleted and is no longer valid."
The Speaker also mentioned that the rules only prohibit a minister from becoming a member of a subject committee under the state assembly, and "four MLAs, who are advisers to the chief minister holding MoS rank, are not barred from becoming a member of a subject committee as per the rules."
(With inputs from PTI)
