Singhar’s petition for disqualification of Bina MLA Sapre dismissed

Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh high court on Thursday dismissed Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar’s petition seeking disqualification of Congress MLA Nirmala Sapre from the Bina seat over allegations that she had joined the BJP. The court also declined to direct the assembly Speaker to decide the matter expeditiously, saying there was no urgency as proceedings were already underway and had seen substantial progress.A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Pradeep Mittal noted that Sapre had denied joining the BJP or leaving the Congress. The court also said Singhar had not produced any document to show that she had been expelled from the Congress or admitted to the BJP.According to Advocate General Prashant Singh, Singhar filed the petition before the Speaker on June 30, 2024. Sapre appeared before the Speaker and sought time to file her reply, which she submitted on Oct 9, 2024.

Thereafter, comments from the state BJP and Congress presidents were also sought, and Singhar recorded his statement before the Speaker on Feb 10, 2026.Singhar’s counsel argued that the Supreme Court has held that such matters should be decided expeditiously, preferably within three months. Sapre’s counsel said she had neither resigned from the Congress nor joined the BJP, and had been unnecessarily dragged into the litigation.

The court said no documents had been filed to show that Sapre had been expelled from the Congress or given membership of the BJP. It held that in the absence of such material and given the respondent’s categorical stand, there was no urgency warranting a direction to the Speaker. Accordingly, the petition was dismissed.