Politics
Sarita Giri files writ at the Supreme Court against Samajbadi Party’s decision to expel her
Giri was expelled as lawmaker and party member for opposing the government’s constitutional amendment bill to update the map on the country’s national emblem, going against the party whip.Post Report
Sarita Giri, who was stripped of her membership and lawmaker seat from Samajbadi Party, has filed a writ at the Supreme Court against the party's decision to expel her.
Giri, in her petition, has contested her removal from the party membership and the lawmaker’s position, arguing that the decision was taken by the central executive committee instead of the party's central committee.
Kishor Poudel, a communication official at the Supreme Court, said Giri has filed the petition naming the House of Representatives, the Parliament Secretariat, the Election Commission, the Samajbadi Party—now the Janata Samajbadi Party–and the party leadership as defendants.
Giri had opposed the government’s constitutional amendment bill to update the country’s map on the national emblem by including Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani, the territories disputed between Nepal and India.
The new map, issued by the government after India opened a link road via the Lipulekh area, had drawn unanimous support from across the political spectrum.
Giri was the lone opposing voice, who went against her party whip to register an amendment to the bill registered by the government in Parliament on May 22.
The Samajbadi Party had then decided to recall Giri as a lawmaker and strip her of party membership for defying the party's decision to vote in favour of the bill.
A three-member panel led by party General Secretary Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav had recommended that the party sack Giri both as a lawmaker and a party member.
The meeting of the party’s office bearers took the decision accordingly on July 7.