The Kerala Assembly was adjourned for the day on Friday, 17 March, amid protests over the registration of cases against Opposition UDF legislators over the alleged attack on House marshals during the ruckus in front of the Speaker’s office two days ago.
The protest began after Speaker AN Shamseer refused to allow Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan to raise during Question Hour the issue regarding the registration of non-bailable cases against Congress-led UDF legislators in connection with an alleged attack on House marshals during the ruckus in front of his office.
The Opposition members protested the Chair’s decision and trooped into the well of the House forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for the day.
Related: Assembly adjourned as Opposition demands action against LDF MLAs
Police register cases
The Kerala Police had registered cases against MLAs of the Opposition Congress-led UDF and ruling Left Front and a few Marshals in connection with the ruckus in front of the state Assembly Speaker’s office on Wednesday.
The Assembly complex had witnessed unprecedented scenes on Wednesday when a section of UDF legislators who marched to the office of Speaker Shamseer, accusing him of being biased in the House, got into a scuffle with the House Marshals.
At least four Opposition MLAs and seven watch-and-ward staff who were injured in the exchange have sought treatment at various hospitals here, sources had said.
Museum police on Thursday registered a case against Left Democratic Front (LDF) MLAs H Salam and KM Sachin Dev and a few House Marshals under Sections 324 and 323 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) based on a complaint filed by United Democratic Front (UDF) legislator Saneesh Kumar Joseph.
They have also registered a case against Opposition MLAs based on a complaint filed by the Marshals under sections 333 and 326 of the IPC.
Reacting to the registration of the case against them, Opposition MLAs Anoop Jacob, Roji M John, Anwar Sadath, IC Balakrishnan, PK Basheer, KK Rema and Uma Thomas in a joint statement had termed the case “fake”. They said they would challenge it legally and politically.
Also read: Melee involving ruling, Opposition MLAs over ‘partisan’ Speaker
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