Ritam Banati
Shillong: The Centre had to use its powers under Article 356 in Meghalaya to clamp President’s rule in the North-Eastern state when Speaker’s decision to suspend five MLAs threw the state government into a crisis.
When these legislators were temporarily suspended under the Anti-Defection Law, as they had withdrawn support to the ruling MPA government, the strength of the ruling coalition got eroded to 28 in the 60 member assembly. Therefore the MPA government led by CM Dr Donkupar Roy got reduced to a minority.
Thus the ground for the imposition of Union rule was laid.
On March 18th, the state came under Central rule despite the government having survived the floor test. Four of the five suspended MLAs turned up on the day of the no-confidence motion to exercise their right to vote. But their votes were deemed invalid.
And because the MPA needed one more vote to wade through troubled waters, the supposedly non-partisan Speaker voted in favour of the government. The motion was won owing to the discretionary vote of Speaker B M Lanong.
The supposedly non-partisan Speaker voted in favour of the government. In an unprecedented move which defied democratic norms, the Centre still went ahead with its decision to enforce President’s rule.
