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2009 Supreme(All) 1979

[2009(4) ADJ 587 (DB)]
ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT
BEFORE : ASHOK BHUSHAN AND ARUN TANDON, JJ.
SHEKHAR TIWARI ....Petitioner
Versus
STATE OF U.P. AND OTHERS ....Respondents
(Civil Misc. Writ Petition No. 9613 of 2009, decided on 4th May, 2009)

Advocates:
Counsel :
R.A. Verma for the Petitioner; Neeraj Upadhyay, Addl. C.S.C. for the State.

Headnote:Constitution of India, 1950—Articles 191, 192 and 194—(Indian) Penal Code, 1860—Sections 323/342/457/364—National Security Act, 1980—Section 3—Arrest—Criminal charge—Exemption from—Member of Legislative Assembly of State of U.P.—Whether after such arrest and detention in prison, he has right to participate in sessions of assembly—An F.I.R. lodged against petitioner by a lady wife of an Engineer under Sections 323/342/457/364, Penal Code with allegations that three persons entered her house and beaten her husband—Petitioner was arrested and is then detained in Dist. Jail Etawah—Case committed to Court of Session and trial of petitioner is pending—Apart from that criminal charge, petitioner was also detained under National Security Act and U.P. Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act—Petitioner claims that he is still a Member of Legislative Assembly of U.P. from Constituency 290—His seat is not vacant under Article 190 of Constitution—He also claims that he is not subject to any disqualification for being Member of Assembly as mentioned under Article 191 of Constitution—He also alleges that his membership has not suspended till date—Petitioner moved an application to grant permission to participate in Assembly Session on 7.2.2009—Rejected by C.J.M. on 9.2.2009—Hence, petition—It is clear that there is no privilege of an M.L.A. from not being arrested on a criminal charge—When there is no exemption of an M.L.A. from arrest on a criminal charge, whether after such arrest and detention in prison, he has a right to participate in sessions of Assembly, is the issue under consideration—Non-participation in proceedings of Assembly by petitioner, is a natural consequence of his detention in prison on criminal charges—Right of participation in proceedings of Assembly by a member and privileges in Assembly given to members are rights and privileges of those members, who are participating in proceedings—When petitioner is detained in prison by lawful order, he cannot claim a writ of mandamus, permitting him to participate in proceedings of Assembly—Held, petitioner not entitled to any relief claimed in petition. [Paras 2, 9, 17, 27 and 28]

       

JUDGMENT

Hon’ble Ashok Bhushan, J.—This writ petition has been filed by a sitting member of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly who is detained in prison facing criminal charge under Sections 323, 342, 457, 364, 302, 201, 120-B, IPC and 7 Criminal Law Amendment Act praying for a writ of mandamus commanding the respondents to permit the petitioner to participate in the session of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

2. Brief facts of the case necessary for deciding the controversy raised in the writ petition are : The petitioner contested the general election of Legislative Assembly from the State of U.P. in the year 2007 as a ruling party candidate from Auraiya Sadar Constituency No. 285 and was declared elected. On 24.12.2008, an F.I.R. was lodged by one Smt. Shashi Gupta wife of Manoj Kumar Gupta an Engineer working with the State Government under Sections 323, 342, 457 and 364, I.P.C. with the allegation that in the intervening night three persons came at their residence and had beaten the husband of the petitioner and had abducted him. Police after investigation submitted a charge-sheet against several other persons for charges of murder and criminal conspiracy. Petitioner was arrested by Police Station Akbarpur and was lodged in jail on 25.12.2008, since then the petitioner is detained in District Jail, Etawah. The case was committed on 16.2.2009 to the Court of Sessions Judge, Auraiya and the trial of the petitioner is pending. Apart from criminal charges as mentioned above, petitioner has also been detained under the National Security Act, 1980, U.P. Gangsters and Anti Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986. The petitioner claims that he is still a Member of Legislative Assembly of U.P. from Constituency No. 285 and his seat is not vacant under Article 190 of the Constitution of India. Petitioner further claims that he is not subject to any disqualification for being member of State Assembly of U.P. as mentioned under Article 191 of the Constitution of India. The membership of the petitioner as M.L.A. has not been suspended till date. A notification dated 14.1.2009 was issued by the Secretariat, Vidhan Sabha, U.P., Luckknow for holding proceedings of Legislative Assembly for discussion and passing of demands for Second Supplementary grants for the financial year 2008-2009 which was informed to all the members of the Legislative Assembly of State of U.P. The petitioner moved an application dated 7.2.2009 in the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate with a prayer to grant permission for his participation in the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly of the State of U.P. The application was rejected by the Chief Judicial Magistrate vide order dated 9.2.2009.

3. This writ petition has been filed thereafter seeking a writ of mandamus commanding the respondents to ensure participation of the petitioner in the sessions of the Legislative Assembly of State of U.P.

4. Shri R.A. Verma, learned counsel for the petitioner in support of the writ petition contended that petitioner having been elected as M.L.A. from Auraiya Sadar Constituency No. 285, it is his right to represent the people of the constituency in Assembly and in event he is denied the participation in the assembly, the right of people to be represented in the assembly shall be denied. He submits that petitioner is not a convict nor suffers from any of the disqualification for being a Member of Legislative Assembly of State of U.P. He submits that detention is only with the object of stopping a detenue from intermixing with the society and the petitioner in this case is not claiming permission for intermixing with the society, rather he is seeking permission to participate in the assembly.

5. Learned counsel for the petitioner has referred to the judgment of the Madras High Court In Re K. Ananda Nambiar, AIR 1952 Mad 117.

6. Shri Neeraj Upadhyay, Additional Chief Standing Counsel on behalf of the State submits that a M.L.A. detained in prison has no right to claim participat



















































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