Court defers hearing of Nagaland NPF ‘Whip issue’

Newmai News Network

DIMAPUR |Oct 12

The Kohima bench of the Guwahati High Court has deferred the hearing of the ‘Whip issue’ to October 25, according to Dr. Shurhozelie led Naga People’s Front (NPF) today.

The Dr Shurhozelie led NPF, in a release said today’s deferment of the hearing on the ‘Whip issue’ should not be construed as anything negative or positive “for either of the parties since the Judge before whom the matter came up for hearing had excused himself from taking up the case on the ground that two of the respondents to the case are his kith and kin”.

The release continued, “It is a truth universally accepted that it is the president of a political party, or someone authorised by the president, who appoints the chief whip of that political party so as to keep its legislators within the parameters of the party’s principles and ideologies, especially when it comes to voting in either the Parliament or the Legislative Assembly”.

Further it said anyone who deviated from “this universal truth” and practice would be doing so at his own peril, “like what TR. Zeliang and group are doing, since their delinquent behaviour or action cannot stand scrutiny of the law”.

“The case before the Court of law is very simple: Is it the political party or the Legislature Wing which appoints the Chief Whip for the Party?” the statement of Dr Shurhozelie led NPF asked.

According to the release, the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution does not mention that the legislature wing should appoint the chief whip of the party, but makes it abundantly clear that it is the political party which appoints the chief whip so as to enable it to keep its flock together.

The idea behind amendment of the Constitution is to prevent instances such as that of one legislator, Ram Lal of Haryana who defected three times in a single day, giving rise to the phrase “Aya-Ram-Gaya-Ram”, it added.

The statement maintained that a direct bearing to this argument is the fact that Mmhonlumo Kikon, the chief whip of the BJP in Nagaland was not appointed by Paiwang Konyak, the leader of the BJP legislature party in Nagaland Legislative Assembly, but through the direction of the National BJP general secretary, Ram Madhav.

“This ‘Whip Issue’ in the Court is hanging over the TR Zeliang-led government like the proverbial Damocles’ Sword, and sooner or later, the law will catch up with the wrong-doers and rectify the gross injustices they have perpetrated,” the statement added.