Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Impeached

Arunachal Pradesh Speaker Nabam Rebia has been impeached.

Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Nabam Rebia. (Photo: Altered by The Quint)

The Arunachal Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution to ‘impeach’ Speaker Nabam Rebia by a voice vote. The resolution signatured consent of 33 members, including 20 rebel Congress MLAs, 11 from the BJP and two independents. The vote was boycotted by supporters of Chief Minister Nabam Tuki.

27 members of the House, including the Chief Minister, his ministerial colleagues and 16 Congress MLAs abstained from the proceedings chaired by Deputy Speaker T Norbu Thongdok, held at the makeshift venue of a community hall, after the district administration ‘sealed’ the Assembly Secretariat Complex apprehending law and order problem.

Amid high drama, 34 MLAs seeking removal of the Speaker, including his deputy Thongdok, met at the community hall for the session.

Thongdok called out the name of Rebia to allow him offer a clarification, if any, on the impeachment notice but the Speaker was not present.

The resolution was then put to vote and was supported by 20 dissident Congress MLAs, barring the Deputy Speaker who did not vote, 11 of BJP MLAs and two independents.

All 33 of them also put their signature of consent on the resolution, which was then declared passed. Arunachal Pradesh has a 60-member Assembly.

Tension prevailed around the Assembly complex which was sealed by the district administration.

Police lobbed four tear gas shells to disperse supporters of the rival Congress factions, who laid a virtual siege to the House.

Stones were hurled by the two sides which damaged a vehicle. 11 BJP MLAs and two independents had served the notice for impeachment motion against the Speaker on November 19 to the Assembly secretary.

What the Speaker Had to Say

Speaker Nabam Rebia, however, termed the move as “illegal and unconstitutional”.

Questioning the legality of participation of 14 rebel Congress MLAs, who were yesterday disqualified by him, including Deputy Speaker Thongdok, in the exercise, Rebia said it was a “mockery of democracy”.

It is a mockery of democracy... When I have made the summons and declared the notice issued by Governor J P Rajkhowa as null and void which was unconstitutional and illegal, how can a session be convened in a different venue? Even if an impeachment motion notice is served against me, I have the power to act as the Speaker till the motion is moved in the Assembly. I disqualified 14 MLAs after proper scrutiny of the notice served by CLP leader Nabam Tuki on December 7 last.

<b>Nabam Rebia </b>

Rebia said the Assembly could be shifted temporarily to another venue only in “particular cases” like when an important government bill is pending which needs to be passed immediately.

He said the CLP leader had served the notice following a recommendation from the party high command for their expulsion.

The Speaker said state’s Parliamentary Affairs Minister, who is also the chief whip, had also recommended their removal.

“All the grounds for their removal had been cleared before issuance of the disqualification notice and there is no other option left for them except taking legal help. As of now, they are no more members of the Assembly,” he said.

Responding to media queries, Rebia said that the Assembly secretariat had received two impeachment motion notices against him and the Deputy Speaker which were under scrutiny.

It is the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Assembly which can decide what to be admitted and what not in the session, but anyway the Governor’s secretariat had no say on it.

“The BAC will decide the merits and demerits of such impeachment notices and will admit in the session accordingly on grounds if the Speaker and his deputy are incapable to run business in the House or have indulged in misappropriation of government funds,” he said, adding such notices should be served 14 days before commencement of the Assembly session.