Chandigarh, July 30, 2019 (Yes Punjab News)
Former Punjab Deputy Speaker Bir Devinder Singh today said a new phenomenon called ‘Live-in Political Relationship’ was emerging in the state politics.
In a press release issued here, Singh said, “If the Speaker of Punjab Legislative Assembly does not decide on the resignations of certain MLAs, who have either resigned or crossed over to other political parties; that entail disqualification under the 10th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, and yet the members in question decide to attend the ensuing assembly session, the entailing circumstances would lead to paradoxically strange situation and absurd spectacle in the House.”
He observed that such MLAs will have to share the same seating arrangement as it existed prior to their resignations or switching over to the parties, other than their mother party on whose ticket they have been elected to the House.
“It sounds outlandish if they illegitimately and unethically continue to be the members of their respected party and incongruously enjoy all the privileges, perks and benefits by virtue of being member of the party, which they have already betrayed or rejected; either by resigning voluntarily or conveniently crossing over to other parties under one pretext or the other,” he said.
Bir Devinder Singh said, the oddly new phenomenon could better be described as ‘live-in political relationship’ where you may enjoy flirting with other political parties, without severing your formal ties with your original party.
“The political drama of the absurd is being enacted unashamedly in Punjab for quite some time now, with the Speaker, contemptuously being an accomplice. Political morality and parliamentary ethics does not seem to be relevant anymore in the Indian polity. The onus to decide the matter, already protracted beyond a point; lies squarely with the Hon’ble Speaker Rana KP Singh,” he said.
The former Deputy Speaker said, the members in question can conveniently blame the Speaker, who by his own will, inexcusably engross in a frame of mind that has serious implications parliamentary governance.
“The Speaker of the House is a key functionary in the system of Parliamentary democracy; therefore his role should not be seen imperfectly deficient in putting matters of huge public importance in an indeterminate state for imprecise period. As per the rule 51 (5) of the Rules of Procedure and conduct of Business of Punjab Vidhan Sabha the Hon’ble Speaker is bound under the statute, to inform the House with regards to the position resignation of the member of the House,” he said.
