SC agrees to hear AAP's plea to dissolve Delhi Assembly

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear on Monday the Aam Aadmi Party's plea seeking a direction to the Lieutenant Governor to dissolve the Delhi Assembly and hold fresh polls along with the Lok Sabha elections.

The bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam said it will hear the petition on February 24.

AAP leader and advocate Prashant Bhushan on Thursday said the party has filed a petition in the Supreme Court to direct the central government and the lieutenant governor to dissolve the Delhi Assembly, and order for fresh elections in the capital.

"An important petition has been filed in the Supreme Court by the AAP, in which we have challenged the decision of the central government and lieutenant governor to impose President's rule in Delhi," said Bhushan,

"After the resignation of the AAP Government, which had also recommended the dissolution of the assembly and called for fresh elections, imposing President's rule means violating the democratic rights of the people of Delhi," he said.

He further added that this decision by the central government had been taken to influence ongoing criminal investigations.

"It appears to have been done in order to influence the ongoing criminal investigations in several FIRs, which have been registered regarding CWG, the Jal Board, as well as the recent gas price hike," Bhushan said.

AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal resigned as Delhi Chief Minister after the Assembly session was adjourned sine die following protests by the opposition over the Jan Lokpal Bill.

Kejriwal also said that the Delhi Assembly should be immediately dissolved, and demanded for re-elections in the state.

He claimed that Congress and BJP joined hands to stop the Jan Lokpal Bill because they were aware that most of their members would be jailed on charges of corruption if this Bill gets passed.