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Uttar Pradesh Governor, Ram Naik on Thursday ordered disqualification of a Bahujan Samaj Party MLA, Uma Shankar Singh and a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA, Bajrang Bahadur Singh as members of the State Assembly.

The enquiry conducted by UP Lokayukta N.K. Mehrotra, found that the MLAs have used their position for acquiring government contracts. The Lokayukta sent his report to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who referred the report to Mr. Naik. The Governor later referred the issue to the Election Commission of India.

An official release from the Raj Bhavan said the MLAs were disqualified on the basis of the report from the Election Commission. The release said whereas Mr. Uma Shankar Singh had acquired Government contracts for road construction from 2009, while Mr. Bajrang Bahadur Singh had acquired road construction contract from the Public Works Department on October 15, 2012 after he became an MLA.

Mr. Uma Shankar Singh is an MLA from Rasrha constituency and Mr. Bajrang Bahadur Singh was elected from Pharenda.

On the basis of the Election Commission of India’s report the BSP MLA was disqualified from the date he was elected an MLA ( March, 6, 2012) and the BJP MLA from the date on which he acquired the Government contract that is October 15, 2012, the Raj Bhavan communiqué added. Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly, Swamy Prasad Maurya told journalists, while reacting to the BSP MLA’s disqualification, that the MLA will challenge the decision in court.

-Kannamsai