HC takes note of AAP MLAs plea, seeks EC's stand

The Delhi High Court today took note of the petition filed by the AAP MLAs challenging the recommendation of the Election Commission for disqualifying 20 of them as legislators for holding office of profit.

It asked the counsel for the poll panel to appraise it urgently whether any such recommendation has been made to the President by the Election Commission.

Justice Rekha Palli asked the EC counsel to take instruction and inform about the development so that the hearing can resume soon.

The application was filed in the pending petition in which the AAP MLAs had challenged the EC's stand to examine a petition against them.

Hours after the EC recommended their disqualification, the affected MLAs mentioned the application before a bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal for urgent hearing, which was listed before Justice Palli.

The petition before the EC was filed by one Prashant Patel against 21 MLAs who were appointed as parliamentary secretaries by the AAP government in Delhi.

Subsequently, the proceedings were dropped against Jarnail Singh after he resigned as the Rajouri Garden MLA to contest the Punjab Assembly polls.

Earlier in the day, the EC had recommended to the President the disqualification of 20 AAP MLAs for allegedly holding offices of profit.

In its opinion sent to President Ram Nath Kovind, the EC said by being parliamentary secretaries, they held  an office of profit and were liable to be disqualified as MLAs of the Delhi Assembly.