Bihar Speaker Uday Narayan Choudhary today defended the decision of recognising 13 RJD MLAs as a separate group in the Assembly saying it was not taken in haste as alleged by the party.
"The interim decision to recognise 13 RJD MLAs as a separate group is lawful, taken after thorough study of parliamentary provisions and not in haste...If somebody is not satisfied he or she is free to challenge it before any constitutional body," Choudhary told reporters at his residence.
"I took 10 days to satisfy myself through different means on the application bearing signature of 13 MLAs to either merge them with JD(U) or recognise them as a separate group.
"I wanted to take more time but members who signed the letter urged me to decide on their plea and accordingly I directed the assembly secretariat to issue a notification recognising them as a separate group as per interim arrangements on February 24 evening," he said.
Asked if all the 13 MLAs, whose signatures were in the letter, had appeared before him or he had talks with them before taking a decision, Choudhary said in parliamentary arrangements, dialogue was held with the chief whip or legislature party leader of the party concerned.
Choudhary said since 9 of the 13 MLAs gave separate letters subsequently he would study them and give a ruling accordingly.
He, however, did not give any time-line for giving a final decision.
Asked about the fate of the 13 MLAs till then, the Speaker said "You will see it when the house sits for the next session."
In an apparent dig at RJD President Lalu Prasad who led a procession of his party with nine MLAs to the Assembly during which stones were thrown at his house, Choudhary said it was an attack on the constitutional chair and not a person.
