Speaker refuses to act against suspended VPP MLA
Shillong, Sep 9: Legislator Adelbert Nongrum, who was suspended from Voice of the People Party (VPP) legislature party, will continue as North Shillong MLA as Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma refused to act on a letter of suspension.
Admitting receipt of the letter, the Speaker, however, said he decided not to act on the letter since it did not mention Nongrum as an MLA.
“It is a fact that he has been suspended from the party but technically I cannot accept that because the copy of the suspension letter that was given to me was addressed to Adelbert Nongrum, just simply as Adelbert Nongrum (Jaiaw),” the Speaker told reporters after an assembly session on Monday.
Justifying his decision, the Speaker said, “There could be so many other Adelbert Nongrums living in that same locality.”
“Technically he is still part of the VPP legislature party,” he said.
The Speaker also mentioned that, as per information, Nongrum was suspended from the party, not from the legislature party.
However, the Speaker noted that Nongrum had raised the matter in the House without following the proper procedure.
The Speaker invited Nongrum to his chamber to discuss and resolve the matter.
He also said shifting Nongrum’s seat might have been an oversight from the Assembly secretariat and directed that he should be allocated his original seat.
