In Brief
Kshetrimayum Biren Singh, an elected MLA from the Indian National Congress (INC), was disqualified based on newspaper reports suggesting he had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Supreme Court allowed his appeal against the Speaker's and High Court's disqualification orders. The Court held that disqualification under the Tenth Schedule requires proper evidence and fair hearing of both parties. Mere newspaper reports cannot be the sole basis for disqualification. The Court noted that both the Speaker and High Court had acknowledged that evidence would be necessary, yet the decision was made without hearing the parties or leading any evidence. The case was remitted to the Speaker for fresh decision on merits, affording all parties due process."
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