RANCHI: Lobin Hembrom, the MLA from Borio representing JMM, and Jai Prakash Bhai Patel, MLA from Mandu with BJP, have been stripped of their Assembly memberships by the Speaker’s Tribunal following a verdict in a defection case against them. The order will take effect from July 26. Amar Kumar Bauri, the BJP leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, and JMM Chief Shibu Soren had filed complaints against Patel and Hembrom respectively, invoking the anti-defection law.Patel had contested the Lok Sabha elections on a Congress ticket without resigning from his Assembly seat, while Hembrom ran independently against the JMM candidate in the Lok Sabha polls. Bauri filed a complaint with the Assembly Speaker’s Tribunal regarding Patel’s defection. Advocate Vinod Kumar Sahu, representing Bauri, argued that Patel’s switch of party allegiance without resigning from the Assembly warranted cancellation of his membership. Similarly, Advocate Ankitesh Kumar Jha, on behalf of Soren, contended that Hembrom contesting against the JMM candidate in the Lok Sabha elections constituted anti-party activities deserving termination of his membership. In defence, Hembrom cited his expulsion from the party and claimed the action taken against him by the party president wasn’t appropriate. However, as per JMM’s bylaws, the order needed approval in the Central Committee meeting within four months, which did not occur.
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