New Delhi/kolkata: The Supreme Court on Monday expressed hope that Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee would take a decision on the petition for disqualification of Mukul Roy as a member of the House on the claim that he had defected to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) after being elected on a BJP ticket.
A bench comprising Justices L Nageswara and Hima Kohli was hearing two separate appeals filed by the Assembly Speaker and the Secretary and the Returning Officer of Bengal Assembly against the Calcutta High Court's order.
The High Court, on September 28, had asked the Speaker to take a decision on the plea for disqualification against Roy by October 7.
The apex court, which did not issue notice on the appeals, took note of the submissions of senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Banerjee, that the disqualification plea is scheduled for hearing on December 21 before the
Speaker.
"We hope that the Speaker proceeds with the matter on December 21, 2021 and decides the same in accordance with law,"the bench said and fixed the case for hearing in January next year.
Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari had on June 17 had filed the petition before the Speaker seeking disqualification of Roy as a member of the Assembly, claiming that he had defected to the Trinamool Congress.
Ambika Roy, BJP MLA of the state, had moved the high court in July challenging Mukul Roy's election as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and prayed for nomination of an opposition member to the post as per tradition.