Imphal, February 16: The Democratic People's Alliance legislators submitted another notice to move a resolution for removal of Speaker TN Haokip on February 13 under rule 307 (1) & (2) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Manipur Legislative Assembly read with article 179 (c) of the Constitution of India.

The members of the Eighth Manipur Legislative Assembly gave fourteen days notice to move a resolution for removal for the Speaker.

The motion will be moved after the expiry of the period.

RK Dorendro, O Joy, BD Behring, Dr Nimaichand Luwang, L Ibomcha MLAs of the DPA today in a press meet revealed that the notice has been submitted as per the format of a previous notice accepted by the Lok Sabha Speaker.

It was charged that the present Speaker engaged 26 persons on contract basis in the Assembly Secretariat and regularized one Under Secretary (Assembly) on 4/12/2002 during the bah imposed on appointment on direct recruitment, part-time, contract, ad-hoc, substitute, casual basis etc.

as a part of the austerity measures adopted by the State Govt after signing of the MOU on 26/2/2002 between the Government of India and Government of Manipur.

This is a clear case of violation of the said MOU.

O Joy said if there is vacancy the committee of officers should recommend to the Cabinet and the Cabinet should take the decision.

The Speaker took an arbitrary decision thus violating the MoU which attracts penal offence he added.

It was further charged the Speaker spent huge expenditure of foreign travels.

The Speaker was allegedly involved in the Elizabeth murder case.

It was further charged that he was a party to the willfully overthrowing the mandatory provisions of Rules of Procedure and conduct of Business of the Manipur Legislative assembly made under article 208 of the constitution of India by capriciously not summoning the winter session of the Assembly within the last Calendar year as provided under rules 17 A of the said rules.

Air-coolers and security equipment worth about Rs 1 crore have been purchased at exorbitant rates without calling of tender.

He also spent Rs 5,40,000 on hiring of two private vehicles by the Assembly for the period from April, 2002 to November, 2003 without any justification.

This is sheer waste of public money.

The Governor Arvind Dave was also informed about the matter.

The DPA has also finalized to seek legal redressal.

The DPA is against the rejection of the notice to remove the Speaker Joy said.

The clarification issued by the Speaker is not acceptable as he has quoted instances where rejection was done as the notice had no specific charges.

The notice which was submitted had mentioned the notice, text of resolution and the operative part.

Instances of acceptance of similar notice were cited.

The Speaker has not differentiated between issue and charge.

The issue is removal of Speaker and the charges could be one or more.

It is wrong to say that there has to be just one charge.

L Ibomcha offered to resign as an MLA if the Speaker's argument that there can be not more than one charge is correct.

He said under the General Clause Act 1897 which was extended to Manipur under Manipur Clause Act 1966, Sec 13 singular word could be used for plural also.

This is applicable in all legal matters.

He further said the Speaker should resign if his argument is wrong.

Joy said the Speaker rejected the notice forcibly.

The Speaker is trying to avoid the discussion he said.

He repeated that, "No one can be the judge of his own cause".

It is wrong for the Speaker to reject a notice seeking his own removal.

The Deputy Speaker should do it.

This is normal practice and as per Constitutional norm's.O Joy further reiterated that the members of legislative Assembly elected under the Representation of Peoples' Act can not be treated as people under the muster roll of the Speaker.

It should be known to all that the lobby is a part of the Assembly he said.

The tactics of the Opposition, floor exercise should not be linked with money.

Nobody can dictate the floor tactics of the members he said.

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