AAP to file fresh petition against disqualification of 20 MLAs

The 20 MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday withdrew their plea from the Delhi High Court against Election Commission's (EC) recommendation over their their disqualification in the office of profit case.

The MLAs withdrew their applications seeking stay on ECI recommendations over their disqualification to the President of India in the Office of Profit matter as their applications have now become infructuous.

Advocate Manish Vashisht, appearing for one of the AAP MLAs, told the court that their application challenging the poll panel's recommendation to the President disqualifying them as legislators has become "infructuous" as a notification in this regard has already been issued on January 20.

The Delhi High Court had on January 19 refused to pass any interim order of protection to AAP MLAs, whose names have been recommended for disqualification as legislators by the EC for holding office of profit.

The 20 MLAs include, Adarsh Shastri (Dwarka), Alka Lamba (Chandni Chowk), Anil Bajpai (Gandhi Nagar), Avtar Singh (Kalkaji), Kailash Gahlot-who is also a minister-(Najafgarh), Madan Lal (Kasturba Nagar), Manoj Kumar (Kondli), Naresh Yadav (Mehrauli), Nitin Tyagi (Laxmi Nagar), Praveen Kumar (Jangpura). Others are: Rajesh Gupta (Wazirpur), Rajesh Rishi Janakpuri), Sanjeev Jha (Burari), Sarita Singh (Rohtas Nagar), Som Dutt (Sadar Bazar), Sharad Kumar (Narela), Shiv Charan Goel (Moti Nagar), Sukhbir Singh (Mundka), Vijendar Garg (Rajinder Nagar) and Jarnail Singh (Tilak Nagar).

In their pleas, they had sought a stay on the proceedings before the EC as well as any communication to the President by the poll panel.

They had contended that no hearing on the merits of the case had taken place before the EC, nor any opportunity granted to the petitioners before the poll panel. They also claimed that no evidence was led by complainant Prashant Patel.