Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has been disqualified as MLA by Election Commission, NDTV reported.
The hearing in the Hemant Soren mine leasing case, in which the BJP has accused him of extending himself a mining lease and sought his disqualification as an MLA, was concluded in the ECI on Monday.
The BJP, the petitioner in the case, has sought Soren's disqualification for violating Section 9(A) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which deals with disqualification for government contracts.
The clause states that "a person shall be disqualified if, and for so long as, there subsists a contract entered into by him in the course of his trade or business with the appropriate government for the supply of goods to, or for the execution of any works undertaken by, that government".
The issue was referred to the governor and by him to the EC, as Article 192 of the Constitution states that on rulings regarding an MLA's disqualification, the question shall be referred to the governor who in turn "shall obtain the opinion of the Election Commission and shall act according to such opinion".
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had on Thursday claimed that "the Election Commission letter has reached the governor. I had announced that it will be done within August".
In Jharkhand, the UPA alliance has 49 MLAs in the 81-member assembly.
Within the United Progressive Alliance, JMM as the largest party has 30 MLAs, the Congress 18 legislators, and the RJD one. The main opposition BJP has 26 MLAs in the House.
The coalition partners, meanwhile, claimed that there was no threat to the government.
