In Brief
Three MLAs from Manipur were disqualified by the Speaker following newspaper reports suggesting they had defected to another political party, and their challenge to the High Court was dismissed. The Supreme Court allowed their appeals, holding that newspaper reports alone cannot establish defection under the Tenth Schedule without leading evidence. The Court emphasised that disqualification proceedings require proper procedural safeguards including notice, hearing of all parties, and adduction of evidence. The cases were remitted to the Speaker for fresh consideration on merits, with the appellants entitled to continue representing their constituencies until final decision.
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