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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) , the party whih is in rulling in the delhi has a noteworthy setback , the Election Commission disqualified 20 of its MLAs on Friday at the grounds of holding ‘office of benefit’. The disqualification of the MLA’s is relied upon to clear route for by-elections in the National Capital.
The discussion over the MLAs holding “office of benefit” (as parliamentary secretaries) began not long after Aam Aadmi Party’s winning in the 2015 Delhi Assembly elections . In the middle of, the MLAs made supplications to the Election Commission first and the Delhi High Court later that the body of evidence against them be dropped.
Be that as it may, their supplications were rejected.The Election Commission has now sent its suggestion to disqualified the 20 MLAs to President for his endorsement. Aam Aadmi Party, which enlisted a record winning in 2015 elections, has been reeling under discussions from that point onward.
Half of the Cabinet Ministers were sacked before on debasement accusations, and now, the disqualification of 20 MLAs. No other political party has such questionable refinements . If President approves it, The strength of AAP in Delhi Assembly drops to 47 from the existing 67.
In 2015, Lawyer Prashant Patel sent an application to President’s Office questioning the appointment of AAP MLAs as Parliamentary Secretaries. Thereafter, Congress moved a petition with Election Commission in 2016 seeking disqualification of 21 AAP MLAs.
Whereas, MLA Jarnail Singh was given an exemption after he resigned as Rajouri Garden MLA to contest Punjab Assembly Polls in February 2017. In June 2015, Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP Government passed amendment to the Delhi Members of Legislative Assembly (Removal of Disqualification) Act, 1997 to exempt the post of Parliamentary Secretary from Office-of-Profit.
AAP argues Parliamentary Secretary doesn’t qualify for Office of Profit as the persons appointed can’t receive any monetary benefit. However, Then President Pranab Mukherjee didn’t approve the amendment and even the Delhi High Court set aside the appointments. Now, EC disqualified as many as 20 Legislators of the Ruling Party.