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Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar today disqualified 15 Congress and Telugu Desam Party MLAs for defying their respective party whips during the no-confidence motion in March this year.
The no-confidence motion was moved by Telangana Rashtra Samithi and supported by the YSR Congress Party against the N. Kiran Kumar Reddy Government on March 15.
The Speaker pronounced his verdict disqualifying these 15 MLAs from the thirteenth legislative assembly.
Nine of the 15 MLAs are from the ruling Congress Party and six others were from the opposition Telugu Desam Party.
The Speaker in his judgement pronounced in the evening said respondents exercised their vote on the No Confidence motion on the floor of the House contrary to the whip issued attracting the provisions of the Constitution and AP Legislative Assembly Rules.
In spite of notices, they did not avail of the opportunity to appear in person. They made clear through letters that they had voted in favour of the motion contrary to the whips knowing its consequences.
Of the 294 member-Assembly, the strength has now come down to 279. While Congress has 147 members, including support of one Independent, TDP (79), TRS (17), YSR Congress (17), MIM (7), CPI (4), BJP (3), CPI(M) and Lok Satta one each and three independents.
rishikumar.vundi@thehindu.co.in
PTI adds:
The Congress MLAs disqualified are Sujaya Krishna Ranga Rao, Dwarampudi Chandrasekhar Reddy, Alla Srinivas (Nani), M Rajesh, Perni Venkata Ramaiah (Nani), Jogi Ramesh, B Siva Prasad Reddy, Gottipati Ravi Kumar and Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy.
The rebel TDP legislators are T Sairaj, Taneti Vanitha, Kodali Srivenkateswara Rao (Nani), Praveen Kumar Reddy, Amarnath Reddy and Y Balanagi Reddy.
The Speaker did not take any decision on the disqualification of three other TDP rebels - Chinnam Ramakotaiah, K Harishwar Reddy and S Venugopalachari - as hearing against them was said to be continuing.
A fresh petition filed by TDP against its MLA G Kamalakar, who switched over to Telangana Rashtra Samiti recently, is also pending before the Speaker.
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