P.C. George. File photoKochi: The Kerala High Court has cancelled the state assembly speaker's act of disqualifying Kerala Congress (Secular) leader and former government chief whip P.C. George as a legislator.
The court said the speaker should have considered George's resignation letter which he submitted before being disqualified.
Justice V. Chidambaresh made it clear that the speaker could take a decision as per rules by taking into consideration George's resignation letter also.
George had moved the court challenging the speaker's act.
Speaker N. Sakthan had disqualified George as an MLA acting on a complaint filed by Kerala Congress (M) leader Thomas Unniyadan.
George was disqualified as member of the state Assembly by the Speaker on November 13 last year under anti-defection law on a petition by Kerala Congress (M).
While taking the decision, the Speaker had rejected George's application for resignation from the Assembly submitted to him earlier.
George challenged the Speaker's decision before the High Court.
During the hearing on the petition, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had also appeared before the Speaker to depose against George.
The action against George was taken on the basis of a petition filed by KC(M) leader and government Chief Whip Thomas Unniyadan seeking his disqualification for alleged anti-party activities since an assembly by-election held in June last.
George, who represented Poonjar Assembly constituency, had been at loggerheads for the past one year with his party supremo K.M. Mani and ruling Congress-led UDF.
He had tendered his resignation letter to the Speaker a day ahead of the Speaker's verdict, apparently anticipating the adverse verdict on his disqualification.
Following the demand of Kerala Congress (M), the third largest partner in UDF, George was removed from the post of Government Chief Whip in April last year after he openly challenged party supremo K.M. Mani and Chandy.
Unniyadan in the petition, filed on behalf of KC(M), had alleged that George indulged in anti-party activities, violated party discipline and put up a candidate against the official UDF nominee in the Aruvikkara bypoll in June.
(With inputs from agencies)
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