Abhishek Banerjee challenges Lok Sabha committee appointments

In a formal letter to Speaker Om Birla, Banerjee argued that the appointment ignores standing objections regarding twenty lawmakers who defected from the Trinamool Congress. Banerjee previously requested that these members be excluded from Departmentally Related Standing Committee (DRSC) roles until their legal status is clarified. He contends that the Digital Sansad website still lists these individuals as AITC members, while their self-proclaimed affiliation with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) remains a subject of ongoing litigation and pending disqualification proceedings.

The TMC leader questioned the procedural legitimacy of the appointment, asking whether the chairmanship was assigned to the AITC or the NCPI. He noted that if the seat belongs to his party, the nominee should reflect the party's choice rather than a defector. If assigned to the NCPI, he challenged the Speaker to explain the basis for recognizing that party's standing before the legal disputes are settled. Banerjee maintained that the NCPI’s reported alignment with the NDA cannot bypass the anti-defection law requirements.

The controversy stems from the departure of twenty TMC MPs who joined the NCPI following the party’s West Bengal election defeat. While these members claim a valid merger, the matter is currently before the Supreme Court. The rebel MPs recently requested an additional four weeks to respond to the Speaker’s disqualification notices. Banerjee has urged Birla to withdraw the appointment immediately and expedite the decision on the pending petitions.