Himachal Assembly Accepts Resignations of Three Independent MLAs After 73 Days

Finally, after 73 days, the resignations of three Independent MLAs from Himachal Pradesh Assembly, Hoshiar Singh, Ashish Sharma, and KL Thakur, have been accepted. The Speaker of the State Assembly, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, made the decision on Monday. With the acceptance of these resignations, by-elections will now be held in the state. The total number of MLAs in the fourteenth assembly of the state has now reduced to 59, with 34 Congress MLAs and 25 BJP MLAs remaining. Previously, six Congress MLAs were disqualified, creating six vacancies, and now with these resignations, there are a total of nine vacant seats.

Pathania mentioned that the three Independent MLAs had resigned from the assembly membership on March 22 and joined the BJP on March 23. A petition under the anti-defection law was also filed before him. After reviewing the matter, the resignations were accepted, and the three are no longer members of the state assembly. Whether their resignations were accepted or they were disqualified, the outcome is the same, rendering the petition redundant. The matter also went to the Himachal Pradesh High Court, where the Chief Justice upheld that the Speaker’s jurisdiction could not be interfered with, and the case was referred to a third judge.

KL Thakur stated that although the decision came late, it was the right one. He mentioned that the purpose of their resignations was to align the assembly by-elections with the Lok Sabha elections, thereby saving government funds. This would also prevent the disruption of students’ studies due to teachers’ election duties and minimize the impact on development projects. However, now that by-elections will be held for these three seats, the model code of conduct will be enforced in the three districts, potentially affecting development work.