SC's oral statement can't be taken as judgement, says Speaker

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Assembly Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan on Friday said that an oral statement of the Supreme Court cannot be taken as a judgement.

He was responding to queries here about his statement that was carried by the media that he would not allow entry to Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) MLA K.M. Shaji after the apex court had given an oral order that he could attend the Assembly session starting from November 27.

"I was misquoted by the media. The only written directive that we have with us now is one from the Kerala High court which says that Shaji has been disqualified and he is yet to get a stay from the apex court. An oral statement from the Supreme Court cannot be taken as a judgement," said Sreeramakrishnan.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court declined an urgent hearing of a plea by Shaji challenging his unseating and disqualification by the Kerala High Court for making communal overtures during his election campaign.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi refused to hold an early hearing and said that the matter can come up in due course.

The IUML is a part of the Congress-led United Democratic Front, which is in the opposition after its defeat in the 2016 Assembly elections. The IUML is the second biggest constituent of the UDF.

The High Court, while unseating Shaji for corrupt practices in breach of the election code of conduct under the Representation of the People Act, disqualified him from contesting elections for six years.

Shaji won from Azhikode constituency in Kannur district in a bitterly fought battle by a margin of 2,462 votes.