Governor scuttles Meghalaya induction

SHILLONG, July 22: The Meghalaya chief minister BB Lyngdoh's move to induct the Speaker and ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) president, EK Mawlong, as the second deputy Chief Minister was scuttled on Thursday on technical grounds. Mawlong told The Assam Tribune that under the Article 169 of the Indian Constitution a Speaker can submit resignation only to the deputy Speaker of the House. "Since there is no deputy Speaker in the Meghalaya House at present and I as the custodian of the House cannot break the law," he said. The post fell vacant following the induction of the deputy Speaker RL Tariang into the Lyngdoh Ministry as a Minister of State recently.