HC dismisses Chirag Paswan’s plea against Speaker’s decision to recognise his uncle as LJP leader

The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed a plea by Lok Janshakti Party leader Chirag Paswan, challenging the decision of the Lok Sabha Speaker to recognise his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras as the leader of the party in the House, reported Bar and Bench.

“It is well settled that the right to regulate internal disputes of the House is of the Speaker,” Justice Rekha Palli said. “The petition is without merits.”

The LJP plunged into a crisis in June when five of its six Lok Sabha MPs rebelled against Paswan and told Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla that they have chosen Paras as the party’s leader in Parliament. The move was effectively a coup against Paswan, who is the sixth LJP MP. Birla had accepted Paras as the floor leader of the LJP in the Lower House.

Paswan has claimed that 66 out of the 75 members in the LJP national executive support him and therefore Paras’ claim of being the national president will not hold up before the Election Commission or in court.

During the hearing, Advocate AK Bajpai, appearing for Paswan, told the High Court that the decision to name Paras as the LJP’s floor leader in Lok Sabha was arbitrary and contrary to the party’s constitution, reported Live Law. “The decision has to be…

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