20 AAP MLAs sacked in office of profit case

Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) suffered a crushing blow on Sunday as President Ram Nath Kovind accepted the Election Commission's recommendation to disqualify 20 MLAs of Delhi's ruling party for holding offices of profit. They include transport minister Kailash Gahlot.

In the light of the opinion expressed by the Election Commission, the 20 members of the Delhi legislative assembly have been disqualified, a Union Law Ministry notification quoted the President as saying.

There is no immediate threat to Chief Minister Kejriwal's government as AAP has 66 seats in the 70-member Assembly. Its numbers will now be down to 46 that is well past the half-way mark of 35. But the actions demoralises the party that's suffered a number of electoral losses recently. Elections to these 20 seats will have to be held within six months.

These MLAs had been appointed as "parliamentary secretaries" to assist ministers two years ago. Lawmakers cannot hold any post in the government that comes with perks or powers.

The Kejriwal government had sought to shield the MLAs by excluding the post from the ambit of office of profit laws. But then President Pranab Mukherjee did not approve it, and referred a private petition in the matter to the poll body.

The poll body had asked the President to disqualify the 20 lawmakers last week. The MLAs moved the Delhi High Court on Friday, but did not get any interim relief.

AAP leader Gopal Rai termed the disqualification unfortunate and said that the party will use all legal possibilities to get the notification cancelled. "We had hoped to go to the President asking him to give us a chance to present our case. AAP will knock the doors of the High Court and even the Supreme Court if need be".

Senior AAP leader Ashutosh said the President's order was "unconstitutional and dangerous for democracy."

"Unfortunate that the President took the decision in such haste, without giving us chance to speak. It's an act of the Centre using constitutional institutions. We've trust in judiciary. Doors of the High Court and the Supreme Court are open for us," said Alka Lamba, one of the 20 disqualified AAP MLAs.

AAP also attacked Chief Election Commissioner AK Joti, calling the recommendation his "parting gift to Prime Minister Narendra Modi". The party said the official, who demits office on Tuesday, has a personal stake in the recommendation.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari welcomed the action, saying it has "protected" India's democratic values. "People of Delhi feel that the AAP MLAs must now return all financial benefits they were given from the day they were appointed as parliamentary secretaries," said Tiwari.