West Bengal Disciplinary Committee of the Assembly to question Trinamool MLAs over absence

Kolkata: West Bengal Disciplinary Committee of the Assembly will seek clarification from the Trinamool MLAs, who were absent on March 19 and 20, the last two days of the recently ended assembly's Budget session, despite a whip by the party. The MLAs are likely to be called physically before the Committee to explain their reasons of absence, following a meeting of the Committee on the issue soon.

A large number of MLAs were absent on these two days despite the whip, people in the know said. Trinamool insiders said that flouting the whip is being referred to as violating the discipline of the party. A number of Bills were passed on those two days.

"If someone does not abide by the 'three-line' whip, it is like breaking the discipline of the party. We will ask the MLAs to be present physically and explain their reason of absence," Convener of the Committee Sobhondeb Chattopadhyay said

"We are going through the attendance and monitor how many MLAs were absent on March and 20. We will sit with the entire attendance in the Committee and discuss the matter," he added.

The MLAs will be called in front of the Disciplinary Committee. "The Chief Whip of the party had given a 'three-line' whip where it was said that all members will have to be present all day on March 19 and 20. If someone refuses to abide by the whip, the party can take any kind of action against them for this anti-party behaviour. That is the significance of the three-line whip," Chattopadhyay explained.

The four members of the Disciplinary Committee will take the decision on this matter after discussing the matter with Trinamool Congress Supremo Mamata Banerjee, after she returns from the United Kingdom.

There are four members of the Disciplinary Committee- Firhad Hakim, Chandrima Bhattacharya, aroop Biswas and Convenor Sobhondeb Chattopadhyay. The MLAs who were absent will be called physically before the committee.

"We have verbally warned the MLAs several times, who remain absent. We have told them that they should raise their Constituency related issues at the assembly where the bills are passed. Altogether, there is only a 40-day session. There was a directive by the Trinamool Supremo Mamata Banerjee and thus I asked the chief whip to give whip on the issue," Chattopadhyay pointed out.