The bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana issued a statement to Speaker Om Birla on Monday, Aug. 12, demanding an expeditious decision on the disqualification of 20 TMC MPs who defected to the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).
The plea that prompted the court’s remark came from Abhishek Banerjee, the TMC MP for Diamond Harbour, who had filed a separate petition challenging the delay in the Speaker’s action. Kalyan Banerjee, the senior advocate representing Abhishek, argued that the rebel MPs had not responded to the notices issued by the Speaker’s office, a fact confirmed by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta in court.
In its remarks, the Supreme Court referred to the 10th Schedule and the 2020 Keisham Meghachandra Singh case, noting that the Speaker must resolve defection matters within a reasonable period, ideally three months. The bench asked Mehta to submit a timeline, but he declined to commit, stating that the court should not impose a fixed schedule on the Speaker.
The 20 MPs—Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Satabdi Roy, and others—have been treated as an NCPI group in Parliament and have participated in NDA parliamentary activities. While the TMC claims the MPs voluntarily gave up their party membership, the rebels argue the merger was valid and therefore not a disqualification case.
Abhishek Banerjee met Speaker Birla on August 12 after sending a written reminder on July 27, urging a swift disposal of the petitions. He highlighted the anti‑defection provisions and the need for an immediate resolution.
The court adjourned the matter, noting that the Speaker would decide within the next three months. The final decision will set a precedent for the enforcement of the anti‑defection law and could reshape the composition of the Lok Sabha.