Speaker Alamgir Alam. Picture by Manik Bose

Ranchi, Oct. 20: Reserving his order on the petition challenging the assembly membership of rural development minister Anosh Ekka, Speaker Alamgir Alam today said decision on all the alleged defection cases would be taken simultaneously.

The “rehearing” of petitions challenging the Assembly membership of 11 legislators for allegedly flouting the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution started with the petition involving Ekka.

Jharkhand Party chief N.E. Horo had lodged a complaint that Ekka won the Kolebira Vidhan Sabha seat on Jharkhand Party ticket in 2005, but defied the party whip to support the then Shibu Soren government. He, instead, chose to support the NDA and became a minister in the Arjun Munda government.

On March 1, 2005, the central working committee of the Jharkhand Party had convened a meeting and resolved that its lone MLA Ekka should support the UPA government led by Soren. But the next day Horo wrote to the governor that his party was withdrawing support to the UPA.

Alam remained tight-lipped on if the Jharkhand Party members submitting the controversial affidavit (in absence of original proceedings of the meeting) supporting Horo’s claim would be cross-examined, but he told The Telegraph that he would seek the opinion of legal experts on the issue.

The “rehearing” of petition challenging deputy chief minister Stephen Marandi would take place on October 25. Water resources minister Kamlesh Kumar Singh’s case would come up on November 10. The rehearing of remaining eight cases, including health minister Bhanu Pratap Shahi’s case, would “begin” from November 12.

“My predecessor Inder Singh Namdhari has heard these cases. Verification of documents and other necessary formalities need to be done. We are proceeding as per the scheduled programme. Decisions will be taken as per the rule,” Alam added.