The rebel TMC MPs met Speaker Om Birla on Sunday, June 14, 2026, and urged him to recognize them as a separate group following the proposed merger with NCPI. They also requested a separate seating arrangement in the Lok Sabha. According to a report, the Speaker is examining the matter and is likely to seek a written opinion from the Ministry of Law and Justice before taking any decision.
Sources indicate that Om Birla intends to make a determination only after receiving a formal written legal assessment. It is believed that the Ministry of Law and Justice will not provide any opinion on the matter without consulting senior legal authorities. The decision to seek a written legal opinion is being viewed as an effort to ensure that any ruling made by the Speaker can withstand judicial scrutiny if challenged before a court of law.
A decision on the demand raised by the rebel faction is expected before the commencement of Parliament’s Monsoon Session, which is generally convened during the third week of July.
The move is also being seen as an attempt by the dissident lawmakers to avoid disqualification under the anti-defection provisions. On Sunday, the rebel MPs, led by senior TMC parliamentarian Sudip Bandyopadhyay, formally met the Lok Sabha Speaker and requested separate seating within the House.
The dissident group has argued that its merger with the Tripura-based NCPI fulfills the requirements laid down under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. Under India’s anti-defection law, at least two-thirds of the members of a legislative or parliamentary party must join another political party for the merger to qualify for protection from disqualification.
The rebel lawmakers claim that 20 Members of Parliament are part of their group. Since TMC has 28 MPs in the Lok Sabha, they contend that the two-thirds threshold has been comfortably crossed, making the merger legally valid under the constitutional provisions.
The National Citizens Party of India, or NCPI, is a registered but unrecognized political party, according to records available with the Election Commission. The party was registered in 2023 from Hatgacha village in the Sankrail area of Howrah district in West Bengal, which falls under the Banipur Post Office jurisdiction.
Party sources stated that NCPI had a closing balance of only Rs 75 during the financial year 2022-23. The party declared receiving total donations of Rs 113,075 during that period and reportedly spent nearly the entire amount within the same financial year. The expenditure included Rs 49,400 spent on the Tripura Assembly election campaign.
The case has now assumed significant constitutional and political importance, as the Speaker’s eventual decision could determine the parliamentary status of the rebel lawmakers and test the interpretation of anti-defection provisions ahead of the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.
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