Speaker rejects 13 Seemandhra MPs resignations

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Friday rejected the resignations submitted by 13 seemandhra MPs, including ten from Congress and two of YSR Congress, against the Congress decision on Telangana. The Speaker held that the resignations were 'not voluntary or genuine'.

The members who had tendered the resignations were S P Y Reddy, G V Harsha Kumar, A Sai Prathap, L Rajagopal, Sabbam Hari, Anantha Venkatarami Reddy, V Aruna Kumar, Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, Bapi Raju Kanumuri, Rayapati Sambasiva Rao (all Cong), Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, M Rajamohan Reddy and Konakalla Narayana (TDP).

Article 101(3) speaks of rejection of a resignation of a member if the Lok Sabha Speaker is 'satisfied' that it is 'not voluntary or genuine'. Rule 240 is also of a similar nature.

The Speaker's decision came almost a week before the Delhi High Court was to hear Congress MP and Seemandhra leader Rajagopal's plea seeking to direct her to accept his resignation, which he had submitted two months ago.