TMC Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel MPs, Hearing Tomorrow

Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has approached the Supreme Court seeking an early decision on disqualification petitions filed against 20 rebel party MPs who have aligned themselves with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).

Banerjee, in his plea, has challenged the alleged delay by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in deciding the disqualification proceedings and has sought directions from the apex court for an expedited decision under the anti-defection provisions of the Constitution, news agency PTI reported.

According to the Supreme Court’s website, the matter is scheduled to be heard on August 25 by a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana.

The plea names the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Secretary General of the House as respondents, along with the 20 MPs against whom the disqualification proceedings have been initiated.

The TMC has argued that the MPs were elected on the party’s symbol and that their decision to join hands with another political formation amounts to voluntarily giving up their membership of the party, attracting disqualification under the anti-defection law.

The rebel MPs, however, have maintained that their move is a valid merger with the NCPI and have sought official recognition of their new political alignment.

The dispute began after 20 TMC MPs split from the party and sought to merge with the Tripura-based NCPI, a party that supports the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Nineteen MPs submitted a merger request to Speaker Birla on June 14, followed by a similar communication from MP Rachana Banerjee the next day.

The merger request is yet to receive formal approval from the Speaker.

The TMC had earlier filed separate disqualification petitions against the MPs and pressed for swift action. Banerjee also met Speaker Birla on August 12 regarding the matter after sending a written reminder on July 27.

The party has alleged that despite the pending decision, the rebel MPs have been recognised as an NCPI group in Parliament and have participated in NDA-related parliamentary activities.

The controversy comes amid a larger political debate over defections and mergers, with the Supreme Court also examining a separate matter involving the Shiv Sena split in Maharashtra.

The court is hearing a plea filed by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray challenging the Election Commission’s recognition of the faction led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the real Shiv Sena. The outcome of that case is being closely watched in political circles, as it could have implications for similar disputes involving party splits and mergers.

Meanwhile, uncertainty continues over the status of rebel factions within the TMC in both Parliament and the West Bengal Assembly. In the state Assembly, a faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee involving 62 legislators has also separated from the party, though its official recognition remains unresolved.

The process of recognising political mergers may depend on developments in pending legal proceedings, including the Shiv Sena case, as authorities examine the interpretation of merger provisions under the anti-defection law.