President Kovind disqualifies 20 MLAs, AAP calls its 'unconstitutional and dangerous for democracy'
President Ram Nath Kovind today accepted the Election Commission's recommendation to disqualify 20 MLAs of Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party for holding offices of profit.
President Ram Nath Kovind today accepted the Election Commission's recommendation to disqualify 20 MLAs of Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party for holding offices of profit.
A notification issued by the law ministry quoted the president as saying that in the light of the opinion expressed by the Election Commission (EC), the 20 members of the Delhi legislative assembly have been disqualified.
The AAP MLAs were appointed parliamentary secretaries and their appointment was described as them holding offices of profit by a petitioner.
In a blow to the AAP, the EC had on Friday asked the President to disqualify its 20 MLAs.
"...Having considered the matter in the light of the opinion expressed by the Election Commission, I, Ram Nath Kovind, president of India, in exercise of the powers...do here hold that the aforesaid 20 members of the Delhi legislative assembly stand disqualified from being members of the said assembly," the notification said.
All the 20 AAP MLAs had moved the Delhi High Court challenging the EC's recommendation but Justice Rekha Palli had refused to pass any interim order
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Who all were disqualifed?
Among the list are several prominent AAP leaders including Delhi cabinet minister Kailash Gahlot, who is also a close confidant of Arvind Kejriwal. The MLA from Najafgarh is the Transport Minister.
The other big names in the list are Chandni Chowk MLA Alka Lamba and Dwarka MLA Adarsh Shastri both of whom have been with Kejriwal since 2011 Indian Against Corruption movement. Laxmi Nagar MLA Nitin Tyagi who is close to Deputy CM Sisodia and prominent Poorvanchali leader Sanjeev Jha are also on the list.
AAP senior leader Ashutosh called it 'unconstitutional and dangerous for democracy'