File photo of senior leader Mukul Roy.
| Photo Credit: PTI
The Supreme Court on Friday (January 16, 2026) stayed the Calcutta High Court verdict disqualifying senior leader Mukul Roy as an MLA of the West Bengal Assembly after he defected to the TMC from the BJP.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi stayed the November 13, 2025 order of the High Court.
Taking recourse to the anti-defection law, the High Court, for the first time, exercised its constitutional authority to disqualify an elected lawmaker under the anti-defection law.
Mr. Roy was elected to the House on a BJP ticket from the Krishnanagar Uttar seat in May 2021, but joined the ruling Trinamool Congress in June that year in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, while retaining his MLA status.
Published – January 16, 2026 03:32 pm IST
