Vijender Gupta moves HC against Speaker's decision to nominate only AAP MLAs to civic bodies

Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta has moved the high court seeking a direction to set aside a notification by the Speaker nominating a group of AAP MLAs to municipal corporations.

Gupta, a BJP MLA from Rohini, alleged that since the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) formed the government in February 2015, the same group of party legislators have been repeatedly nominated as councillors in municipal corporations in violation of laid down norms.

"As per the provisions of Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, Speaker is under obligation to nominate the persons on rotation wise, meaning the MLAs who were nominated in previous years shall not be repeated again and again," Gupa said in his petition.

Gupta told PTI that no Opposition member has been nominated to the three municipal corporations since the the Aam Aadmi Party assumed office.

On July 12, a notification was issued by the Delhi Assembly to nominate 13 AAP MLAs again to the municipal corporations - North, South and East Delhi Municipal Corporations.

According to the BJP leader, he has filed the petition on Friday and the Delhi High Court will hear it on August 6.

"During the tenure of present Legislative Assembly, not one MLA from the Opposition has been nominated by the Speaker. Not only this, the Speaker has nominated the same members of Legislative Assembly as members of three Municipal Corporations," Gupta said in the petition.

"This act of the Speaker is biased, ultravires, arbitrary and contrary to Article 14 of the Constitution of India," he alleged in the petition.