Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has issued notices to 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs, seeking their responses within seven days to disqualification petitions filed against them under the anti-defection law. The development came as the Supreme Court on Tuesday took up a petition filed by TMC general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee, who has sought an expedited decision on the disqualification proceedings. 

The 20 MPs had broken away from the TMC and aligned themselves with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI). The TMC has challenged their status, arguing that they were elected to the Lok Sabha on the party's ticket and that their subsequent move attracts provisions of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. The Speaker's notices now give the MPs seven days to respond to the disqualification petitions. 

Notices Follow Supreme Court Hearing

The timing of the Speaker's action is significant. During Tuesday's Supreme Court proceedings, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Speaker, informed a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant that notices had already been issued to the 20 MPs in connection with the disqualification petitions.

The Supreme Court itself also issued notices to the rebel MPs on Abhishek Banerjee's petition seeking a time-bound decision. The Court did not issue notice to Speaker Om Birla after the Solicitor General said he would represent the Speaker's office. Justice Joymalya Bagchi observed that the issue was not merely whether notices had been issued but whether the proceedings could be concluded within a reasonable time.

20 MPs Facing Disqualification Pleas

The MPs named in the proceedings include prominent TMC figures such as Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Satabdi Roy, Rachana Banerjee, Yusuf Pathan, Sayani Ghosh, June Maliah and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar.

The full list includes Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Satabdi Roy, Prasun Banerjee, Rachana Banerjee, Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia, Partha Bhowmick, Arup Chakraborty, Adhikari Deepak Dev, Sayani Ghosh, Bapi Haldar, Md Abu Taher Khan, Kalipada Saren Kherwal, Asit Kumar Mal, June Maliah, Mitali Bag, Khalilur Rahaman, Mala Roy, Sharmila Sarkar and Yusuf Pathan. 

TMC's Anti-Defection Case

The dispute centres on the Tenth Schedule, commonly known as the anti-defection law. TMC has argued that the MPs were elected under its symbol and that their decision to leave the party and align with another political formation amounts to voluntarily giving up their party membership.

According to reports, the 20 MPs later aligned themselves with the NCPI and sought recognition as a separate group in the Lok Sabha. The Speaker provided them separate seating arrangements during the Monsoon Session, although the Speaker's office has not recognised them as a separate parliamentary party. 

The disqualification petitions were filed separately by Abhishek Banerjee on June 18, 2026, under Rule 6 of the Members of Lok Sabha (Disqualification on Ground of Defection) Rules, 1985. 

What Happens After Seven Days?

The immediate next step is for the 20 MPs to submit their responses to the Speaker's notices. Their replies will form part of the proceedings concerning the disqualification petitions.

The Speaker will then have to consider the allegations, the MPs' responses and the relevant provisions of the Tenth Schedule before taking any decision. The notices themselves do not mean that the MPs have been disqualified.

The Supreme Court proceedings have added another layer to the dispute. The apex court is examining Abhishek Banerjee's plea seeking an expedited decision, while the Speaker's office is handling the underlying disqualification proceedings. The Supreme Court has listed the matter for further hearing on August 28. 

Bigger Political and Constitutional Issue

The case has wider implications for the functioning of the anti-defection framework in Parliament. The Tenth Schedule was introduced to discourage elected representatives from changing political allegiance in ways that could undermine the mandate received from voters.

At the same time, questions concerning the Speaker's role in deciding disqualification petitions have repeatedly reached the courts. In the present case, the Supreme Court's focus on the time taken to conclude proceedings adds urgency to the issue.

For now, the 20 rebel TMC MPs have seven days to respond to the notices issued by the Lok Sabha Speaker. Their replies and the subsequent proceedings will determine the next stage of a political and constitutional dispute that has now come under the scrutiny of both Parliament and the Supreme Court.