New Delhi, August 24, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) faction has approached the Supreme Court challenging the delay by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in deciding disqualification petitions against 20 rebel party MPs.
The petition has been filed by TMC national general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee. The matter is scheduled to come up for hearing on August 25 before a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana.
According to details available on the Supreme Court website, the plea has been registered as W.P.(C) No. 1033/2026. The respondents include the Lok Sabha Speaker, Secretary General and all 20 MPs facing the disqualification proceedings.
The MPs named in the petition are Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Satabdi Roy, Prasun Banerjee, Rachana Banerjee, Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia, Partha Bhowmick, Arup Chakraborty, Adhikari Deepak Dev, Sayani Ghosh, Bapi Haldar, Md Abu Taher Khan, Kalipada Saren Kherwal, Asit Kumar Mal, June Maliah, Mitali Bag, Khalilur Rahaman, Mala Roy, Sharmila Sarkar and Pathan Yusuf.
The TMC has argued that the MPs were elected on its symbol and that their subsequent move to another political formation attracts the anti-defection provisions. Abhishek Banerjee had earlier filed separate petitions before the Speaker and sought their early disposal.
The dispute arose after the 20 MPs broke away from the TMC and joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), claiming recognition as a separate parliamentary group. The rebel MPs have maintained that they command more than two-thirds of the TMC’s Lok Sabha strength and had sought separate recognition.
Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia had earlier said the group intended to claim the status of the “real Trinamool Congress” and seek separate recognition in the Lok Sabha.
The TMC has rejected that position, contending that a two-thirds majority among legislators does not by itself meet the requirements of the merger provision under Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule. According to the party, voluntarily giving up TMC membership and joining another political formation attracts disqualification.
The dispute intensified after separate seating arrangements were allotted to the 20 MPs despite the pending disqualification petitions. TMC leaders, including Abhishek Banerjee, Mahua Moitra and Kalyan Banerjee, had earlier met the Speaker seeking action. On July 27, Abhishek Banerjee again wrote to Birla urging expeditious disposal of the petitions.
The developments could have significant political consequences for both the rebel MPs and the TMC.
Separately, the Supreme Court is considering a broader constitutional challenge concerning the interpretation of Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing as a party-in-person, has challenged the existing interpretation of the merger provision, arguing that it allows groups of legislators to avoid disqualification by merging with other political parties and thereby weakens the purpose of the anti-defection law.
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