Lok Sabha Speaker gave Abhishek Banerjee 2-hour notice during ED questioning: Sources

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is set to review a merger request submitted by a rebel faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and will make a decision after hearing both sides, according to sources.

This development occurs amidst a high-voltage standoff between the Speaker's office and the TMC leadership concerning the timing of summons issued to TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee. Sources revealed that the Lok Sabha Speaker's Office sent an email to Banerjee on June 15 at 2 pm, providing a two-hour window for him to meet the Speaker in Delhi by 4 pm the same day.

At the time the email was dispatched, Banerjee was appearing before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning and did not have access to his mobile phone or personal emails. Within an hour of the email, the Speaker's office contacted TMC MP Kirti Azad to inform him of the scheduled appointment. Azad subsequently visited the Speaker's Office to explain Banerjee's inability to attend the meeting due to his ongoing cooperation with the ED investigation. Azad requested a later date for the meeting, emphasizing Banerjee's commitment to cooperating with the Speaker's proceedings.

The Speaker is expected to deliberate on the rebel faction's merger request, which has initiated a new legal and political dispute within the TMC. The rebels are seeking recognition for their actions, while the TMC leadership is working to counter the request's validity.