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Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has granted 20 rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs additional time until September 22nd to file their replies in the disqualification case. TMC MP Mahua Moitra has expressed surprise at this. On June 18th, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee had urged Speaker Om Birla to declare these rebel MPs disqualified under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the matter on September 18th, 2026.

Mahua Moitra's Response

TMC MP Mahua Moitra posted on Instagram, writing, "Surprise... The Lok Sabha Speaker has now granted 20 rebel TMC leaders three weeks to respond, until September 22nd. Consequently, at the next hearing on September 18th, the Solicitor General will appear in court and use this excuse to seek an adjournment and delay. You can't fool anyone. BJP + NCP = Big Liars."

Twenty rebel TMC MPs disassociated themselves from the party on June 14th. They later joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), which subsequently announced its support for the NDA. Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar are the main leaders of this rebel group. To avoid the anti-defection law, these 20 MPs announced their merger with the Tripura-based National Citizens Party of India (NCPI).

Separate Place In The House For Rebel MPs

Speaker Om Birla has made separate seating arrangements for the 20 rebel MPs in the House, but has not yet approved the merger of their party. Meanwhile, Abhishek Banerjee met with Speaker Om Birla and demanded that the process of disqualifying the rebel MPs be expedited and separate seating arrangements be made for the eight remaining loyal TMC MPs. 

On August 25, the Supreme Court ordered the disqualification of 20 TMC MPs within a stipulated timeframe. Abhishek Banerjee had urged the court to expedite a decision on the petitions seeking the disqualification of 20 rebel TMC MPs who have attempted to break away from the party.

What Are Rebel MPs Demanding?

These MPs have demanded recognition as a separate political group in the Lok Sabha. The TMC argues that all these MPs won elections on the TMC's election symbol, and therefore, joining another political party or organization falls under the anti-defection law and their membership should be revoked.