By IANS,
Ranchi : The judgement in the lawmakers’ anti-defection cases would be delivered by him in December, Jharkhand assembly speaker Aalam Gir Aalam said here Thursday.
“The hearing of all the cases under the tenth schedule (anti-defection law) will be completed by November. I have declined to give further time to legislators against whom the cases are pending to submit their reply,” Aalam told IANS.
He said: “At present, it is not possible to hold court as the session is beginning from Friday and there are holidays.”
Nine legislators’ cases are pending in the speaker’s court.
The Jharkhand High Court last month issued notice to the speaker seeking a reply in the pending cases.
The speaker’s lawyer submitted the reply in the court early this month but the High Court was not happy with the reply. It had sought a reply by Thursday on the time frame for the judgment in the cases.
On Thursday, the hearing in the High Court was adjourned. The next hearing will take place Sep 24.
The monsoon session of the state assembly is beginning from Friday.
The main opposition party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has stepped up the pressure on the speaker to deliver the judgment in the cases.
Cases are pending against five BJP legislators, who have been suspended by the party.
The four ministers against whom cases are pending are Health Minister Bhanu Pratap Sahi, Water Resources Minister Kamlesh Singh, Rural Development Minister Enos Ekka and Deputy Chief Minister Stephen Marandi.