Kerala HC dismisses PIL on dropping assembly proceedings against Mamkootathil
Kochi (PTI): The Kerala High Court on Thursday dismissed a PIL seeking directions to the state legislative assembly to consider a representation to drop further proceedings against expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil by the ethics panel of the House on a complaint by CPI(M) MLA D K Murali.
A bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V M held that the petition, by an advocate, was not maintainable as the court cannot direct the Speaker of the assembly on how to conduct proceedings in the House.
The detailed order is awaited.
The petitioner, Kulathoor Jaisingh, stated that Murali filed a complaint with the Speaker regarding Mamkootathil’s allegedly unbecoming conduct as an MLA, seeking permission to raise the issue in the House.
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The petition, filed through advocate M R Sarin, claimed that the complaint was filed with "malafide intention due to political reasons".
"The Speaker of Kerala Legislative Assembly, without considering allegation in the complaint, has forwarded the same to the ethics committee with an endorsement to examine it," the plea said.
It further said that the petitioner had sent a representation to the Speaker to drop the proceedings against Mamkootathil, the MLA from Palakkad assembly constituency, in connection with the complaint by the CPI(M) MLA.
The petitioner had also sent a reminder representation to the Speaker. However, no action has been taken till date, the petition said.
Hence, Singh was constrained to move the High Court seeking directions to the ethics panel to consider his representation to drop proceedings against the Palakkad MLA.
Mamkootathil is facing investigation in three cases of sexual assault by three different women and is currently out on bail in all of them.
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SpiceJet to operate 13 special flights from UAE on Thursday
New Delhi (PTI): SpiceJet will operate 13 special flights from the UAE on Thursday to facilitate the return of passengers stranded due to the Middle East conflict.
"Of the 13 flights, 12 will operate from Fujairah and 1 will operate from Dubai. The airline will operate seven special flights to Mumbai, five special flights to Delhi and one special flight from Dubai to Mumbai," it said in a statement on Thursday.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the airline said it operated 12 special flights from Fujairah to Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi.
The escalating conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran in the Middle East have significantly disrupted flight operations, leaving a large number of passengers stranded in various cities.
