The Trinamool has submitted 14 names and the BJP has put forward six names (File)
The BJP on Thursday sought cancellation of Mukul Roy's nomination for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and urged the Assembly secretary to reject his candidature as his name has not been proposed by the BJP Legislature party and the Trinamool Congress is ineligible to advance his nomination as he has been elected on a BJP ticket.
Mr Roy was among the 20 MLAs who filed nominations for memberships of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the West Bengal assembly on Wednesday amid speculations that he may be appointed its chairman.
The Trinamool has submitted 14 names and the BJP has put forward six names. Mr Roy featured in the list of 20.
Mr Roy, officially a BJP MLA from Krishnanagar Uttar, switched over to the Trinamool last week but did not resign from the assembly or was disqualified under the anti-defection law.
"We have submitted a letter to the assembly secretary objecting Mukul Roy's nomination for the PAC membership. According to the assembly rules, either his name has to be submitted by the Trinamool or the BJP. The list doesn't state on whose behalf Mukul Roy has filed nomination," a senior BJP MLA said.
Mr Roy's name has been proposed by independent member Ruden Sada Lepcha and Trinamool MLA Tarun Kumar Maity.
Citing Rule no-302 of the Rules Procedure and Conduct of Business in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, the letter by the BJP noted that the norm of electing members to the PAC is based on the Principle of Proportional Representation.
"Proportional Representation means election of the PAC members from amongst the proportional ratio of the parties. The BJP has not recommended his name. The TMC also can't recommend his name as he has been elected on a BJP ticket. Hence, his nomination should be cancelled," another BJP MLA said.
Trinamool's chief whip Nirmal Ghosh had said the letter by the BJP neither has any legal nor constitutional sanctity.
"The BJP leaders don't know the rules and proceedings of the House. When the nominations for the PAC membership are submitted, it is done as members of the house and not as a member of any party," Mr Ghosh said.