Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu today sought to revisit the role of the Speaker while testing the majority of a government and implementing provisions of anti-defection law, as the Congress won the high-stakes trial of strength in the Uttarakhand Assembly.
"In the backdrop of what has happened in Uttarakhand, we have to revisit the Speaker's role vis-a-vis the issue of testing of majority and also in the implementation of anti- defection law," Mr Naidu, also the Union parliamentary affairs minister said.
"I want the debate to take place in this country," he said, adding there has to be a time limit set for deciding on cases of anti-defection law.
The minister said, "Any people's representative, be it an MLA or MP, if he changes his party and switches over his loyalty, he should forthwith resign as per the spirit of the Constitution and recontest."
Incidentally, a number of Telugu Desam legislators have joined TRS in Telangana and those of YSR (Cong) joining Telugu Desam party in Andhra Pradesh, not evoking any action under the anti-defection law.
"What alternative do you have. We have to revisit that and then take a call," he said.
The Congress today won the high-stakes trial of strength in the Uttarakhand Assembly, in a clear setback to the Modi government which had dismissed the state government and imposed President's Rule on March 28.
The result of today's floor test is expected to be formally announced tomorrow after a video recording of the 90-minute proceedings of the Assembly is presented in Supreme Court in a sealed envelope.
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