CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG: Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Thomas A. Sangma has recognised the merger of eight United Democratic Party (UDP) legislators with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Legislature Party, triggering a significant shift in the political arithmetic of the state Assembly. With the merger recognised under Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule to the Constitution, the BJP's strength has increased from two to 10 MLAs, while the UDP's strength has fallen from 12 to four.
The recognition brings the eight legislators under the BJP Legislature Party in the Meghalaya Assembly. The key constitutional question in such cases is whether the conditions for protection from disqualification under the merger provision of the Tenth Schedule have been fulfilled.
The notification issued by the Secretary of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly stated: "It is hereby notified for general information that Shri Thomas A. Sangma, Hon'ble Speaker, Meghalaya Legislative Assembly has recognized the merger of 8 (eight) Members of the United Democratic Party Legislature Party, namely Shri Lahkmen Rymbui, MLA, Shri Pius Marwein, MLA, Shri Kyrmen Shylla, MLA, Shri Mayralborn Syiem, MLA, Shri Matthew Beyondstar Kurbah, MLA, Shri Ollan Singh Suin, MLA, Shri Balajied KuparSynrem, MLA and Shri SynsharKupar Roy Lyngdoh Thabah, MLA, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with under Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule to the Constitution of India."
The eight legislators are Lahkmen Rymbui, Pius Marwein, Kyrmen Shylla, Mayralborn Syiem, Matthew Beyondstar Kurbah, Ollan Singh Suin, Balajied Kupar Synrem and Synshar Kupar Roy Lyngdoh Thabah.
The notification further stated: "Consequent upon the above, the strength of the United Democratic Party Legislature Party in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly stands at 4 (four) and that of the Bharatiya Janata Party Legislature Party at 10 (ten)."
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