disqualification of AAP MLAs
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recently broke his silence on the Electoral Commission’s recommendation to disqualify 20 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA legislators on account of violating the “office of profit” provision. Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter to express his views on the controversial issue.
Late on Friday, the AAP covernor said on Twitter that it is natural for hurdles to come when one walks on the path of honesty and truth. He added that despite the hurdles, the visible and invisible powers of the universe will help the person going through them. He went on to add that God supports those who work for the nation and society, not for themselves. In his tweet, Arvind Kejriwal continued to say, “History is a witness that it is the truth that wins in the end.”
The Delhi Chief Minister’s reaction came just hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant the AAP legislators under question any protection. Six of the accused parliamentary secretaries made attempts to prevent the poll panel from issuing the orders to disqualify them. The court accepted their request and will be hearing their petition this coming Monday. This was agreed after the Electoral Commission’s lawyer could not confirm whether the EC panel had given its opinion to President Ram Nath Kovind.
In 2016, The Delhi High Court had canceled the appointment of these 20 lawmakers as parliamentary secretaries, but in 2017 the Electoral Commission ruled that it would still persecute the 20 MLAs on the charge of “office of profit”. The allegations that were not dropped will be decided on by the president through the opinion he sought from the Electoral Commission of India. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stands by his fellow AAP party members despite the harsh allegations made against them.
Delhi Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) chief Manoj Tiwari expressed his contentment with the Electoral Commission‘s opinion to the president regarding the AAP MLAs in question. He said that this was a moral defeat for Arvind Kejriwal and that he should resign. He added that the Bhartiya Janta Party remains prepared for elections at any moment. The disqualification of the 20 MLAs will however not impact the AAP’s lead in seats over BJP. The AAP MLAs continue to await the president’s final decision on the case against them that will determine whether they face disqualification as parliamentary secretaries.
