SC rejects plea of 2 rebel Arunachal Congress MLAs

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the plea of two rebel Congress MLAs of Arunachal Pradesh against a Gauhati high court decision, upholding the action of then Assembly speaker Nabam Rebia to accept their resignations. "The resignation letters bear your signatures and moreover, why did you (MLAs) keep quiet for almost 10 days (after submitting their resignation)," a Bench said, while rejecting the appeals of MLAs Wanglam Sawin and Gabriel D Wangsu. The Bench did not concur with the submissions of senior advocate L Nageshwar Rao, appearing for the MLAs, that the Speaker should have conducted an inquiry after he received their resignation, saying their letters are "irrevocable" as if they were executing a Will. "...The language of the resignation letters warranted an inquiry by the Speaker. The letters were written under duress and coercion," Rao said.