Cal HC directs Speaker of WB Assembly to reconsider Mukul Roy’s status

Kolkata, April 11 : The Calcutta high court on Monday directed West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee to reconsider his decision if Mukul Roy remains a BJP legislator after switching to the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress party. Calcutta high court’s division bench comprising chief justice Prakash Srivastava and justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj on a petition filed by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari directed the speaker to reconsider his decision and inform the court in the next four weeks. On February 11 last, the Speaker dismissed opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari’s request to disqualify Mukul Roy as an MLA under the anti-defection law for defecting sides after the Bengal assembly election. Banerjee had opined that the petitioner could not produce quality evidence and thus the case was disposed of and said Roy is a BJP MLA. Advocate for the petitioner Billadal Bhattacharya told reporters that the Bench has directed the Speaker to decide upon the media conference of Roy on June 11 last in which the BJP MLA has joined the TMC. In the presence of Mamata Banerjee and others, Roy rejoined the Trinamool Congress along with his son Subhranshu Roy on 11 June 2021. He is also a member of the PAC. Eventually, he became the chairman of the PAC on 14 July 2021. PC ARN