Manipur Governor's decision soon on EC's opinion regarding disqualification of 12 BJP MLAs, SC told

The Supreme Court on Thursday was informed by the Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta that the Governor of Manipur will take a decision soon on the opinion given by the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the disqualification of 12 BJP MLAs in the "office of profit" issue.

A bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao pointed out to the solicitor general that the ECI had furnished the opinion on January 13 this year and that the governor has to take a decision on the poll panel's opinion.

To this, Mehta assured the apex court that the governor will decide soon and no direction from the Court is necessary.

On November 9, the top court had said the Manipur governor cannot delay the opinion given by the ECI regarding the disqualification of 12 BJP MLAs in the "office of profit" issue.

"Reference has been passed by the Election Commission. Why can't the governor pass an order? The government should ask the governor, something must be done. The Election Commission had submitted its opinion in the matter in January. The governor cannot sit over the decision," the bench had said.

The apex court was hearing a plea filed by Karong MLA DD Thaisii, a Congress MLA from Manipur, and others seeking disqualification of 12 MLAs on the ground that they were holding the posts of Parliamentary Secretaries, which amounted to offices of profit.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Thaisii, had told the bench that the governor cannot keep the decision pending and he was entitled to know the view, adding that the term of the Assembly was expiring within a month and if something is not done the issue would become infructuous.

The 12 BJP MLAs from Manipur are reportedly facing disqualification in a 2018 office-of-profit case for holding the position of parliamentary secretaries.

( With inputs from ANI )