The MLAs’ lawyer said that they have not been given all the relevant documents.

Shimla:

Six Congress MLAs, who were issued show cause notices on Tuesday for violating the Rajya Sabha election whip, appeared before the Speaker along with their lawyer and argued that all the relevant documents have not been provided to them.

Senior advocate Satyapal Jain, representing the six Congress MLAs before the Speaker, argued that they were only served the notice and a copy of the petition filed on Tuesday evening, while other attachments were not provided to them.

Mr. Jain said that as per the rules, MLAs have to give seven days to provide a copy of the petition to file their reply.

A petition has been filed by Congress against six MLAs who cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections.

Mr Jain said there are five or six conditions under the anti-defection law, including seven days’ time for reply, which have to be followed. He said that even after providing a copy of the petition, seven days’ time will have to be given to file the reply.

He stressed that the anti-defection law does not apply to voting in the Rajya Sabha elections, saying the Supreme Court has repeatedly said this.

“We have requested the Speaker to give us at least one week’s time to file the reply as per the principle of natural justice,” Mr Jain said.

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