Committee begins work on MLA disqualification rules and uniform legislative procedures
Nagaland Legislative Assembly Speaker Sharingain Longkumer has joined a national-level committee reviewing the constitutional and procedural framework governing disqualification of elected representatives under anti-defection provisions.
The four-member committee, constituted on January 29, 2020 by the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Chairman of the All India Presiding Officers’ Conference, held its first meeting on February 9 and 10 at Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai.
Chaired by Rahul Narwekar, Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, the panel undertook a comprehensive review of legal and procedural aspects related to disqualification of members on grounds of defection.
Discussions also focused on possible guidelines for presiding officers across the country while exercising powers under existing constitutional provisions.
Although no final decisions were taken during the two-day deliberations, the committee is expected to frame recommendations in its next meeting scheduled to be held in Bhubaneswar. Members reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and ensuring that powers exercised by presiding officers remain aligned with constitutional principles and public expectations.
In a parallel development, the Lok Sabha Speaker has nominated Longkumer as a member of another national committee tasked with drafting a Uniform Model of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business for legislative bodies.
