The Lok Sabha Secretariat issued a revised party position list reflecting the changes.
The updated list shows the Shiv Sena with 13 MPs, up from seven earlier, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) has been reduced to three members from nine. It also records that the 20 rebel TMC MPs will be seated separately from the parent party in the House, as requested.
However, the Speaker has not yet taken a final decision on the rebel TMC MPs’ demand for recognition as the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) parliamentary party, with the matter still under consideration, according to official sources.
The decisions come barely two days before Parliament’s Monsoon session begins on July 20, with the government expected to seek support for several politically sensitive legislations, including Constitution amendment bills.
Sources said the Speaker arrived at the decision after holding separate hearings with the parent parties and the breakaway groups.
Legal and constitutional experts attached to Parliament were consulted, while past precedents involving previous Lok Sabha Speakers and Rajya Sabha Chairmen were also examined before the decisions were taken.The 20 rebel TMC MPs, who recently broke away from the Mamata Banerjee-led party, have been allotted separate seating away from the parent party.
The rebel group has also informed the Lok Sabha Secretariat about its parliamentary leadership, naming Sudip Bandyopadhyay as leader, Shatabdi Roy as deputy leader and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar as chief whip.
Both the TMC and Shiv Sena (UBT) had sought disqualification of their rebel MPs under the anti-defection law.
The TMC filed 20 separate disqualification petitions, arguing that the legislators could not claim protection under the Tenth Schedule merely because two-thirds of the legislature party had broken away.
Shiv Sena (UBT) similarly argued that its six rebel MPs could not merge with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena solely on the basis of a two-thirds split in the legislature party.
Besides these developments, the DMK has also sought separate seating from the Congress following the collapse of their alliance in Tamil Nadu. Sources said that request is also likely to be accepted.
