Full Breakdown
Rebel TMC MPs Seek Further Extension Amid Disqualification Battle
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Request for Additional Time to Respond to Disqualification Notices
On October 8, 2026, twenty Lok Sabha members who left the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) asked Speaker Om Birla for more time to answer anti-defection notices. Their legal team had not finished compiling the required documents, so they sought an extension beyond the deadline that expired that day.
Background & Context
The proceedings began after TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee filed petitions on June 18, alleging the MPs defected by aligning with the NCPI and supporting the BJP-led NDA. The Tenth Schedule empowers the Speaker to disqualify members who “voluntarily give up” party membership or “act against” party directives.
Timeline
- June 18 – Banerjee files disqualification petitions.
- September 25 – Speaker’s office directs replies by October 8.
- October 8, 2026 – MPs meet in Kolkata, half absent, and request further time.
- August 25 – Supreme Court agrees to hear Banerjee’s plea for an expedited decision.
Data & Statistics
- 20 rebel MPs face notices.
- 10 attended the Kolkata meeting; 10 were absent.
- They have sought four extensions: an initial four-week request in September, a two-week grant, and now a request for either 15 days or two weeks.
- The meeting was held at a hotel on AJC Bose Road in Kolkata.
Official Statements & Responses
Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, a rebel MP, told PTI the legal team was still collating documents and the group was writing to the Speaker for additional time. Arup Chakraborty said absent members had been contacted by phone and there were no internal disagreements. NCPI MP Arup Roy linked the request to the upcoming Durga Puja festivities. The Speaker’s office has not yet ruled on the latest request.
Criticism & Opposition
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh condemned the rebels as “turncoats, opportunists and ungrateful people” trying to evade a legitimate process. Senior TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee projected that the rebels would face disqualification within a year, triggering by-elections in all twenty constituencies.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact length of the extension sought. *The Hindu* and *ThePrint* report a request for 15 days, while *Tribune India*, *Hindustan Times*, and *Indian Express* cite two weeks. No source confirms whether the Speaker has granted any prior extensions beyond the two-week period after the September request.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Our deadline to send a reply is about to end today. We are writing to the Lok Sabha Speaker requesting 15 days more time,” — Ghosh Dastidar
- “Someone has gone abroad, someone’s son is sick, while some others have other engagements and programmes. But we have contacted all those who could not join the meeting today,” — Arup Chakraborty
- “We have sought two weeks’ time from the Speaker. Durga Puja and festive season is on, that’s why we have sought extension.” — NCPI MP Arup Roy
What’s Next
The Speaker must decide on the latest extension request. A ruling will determine whether by-polls are required in the twenty West Bengal constituencies, potentially affecting the Lok Sabha’s balance of power.