Delhi: Seven BJP MLAs move HC challenging suspension from Budget session

New Delhi: Seven BJP MLAs approached the Delhi High Court on Monday challenging their suspension for the remainder of the Budget session of the Delhi Assembly for interrupting the Lieutenant Governor's address.

The plea was mentioned for urgent listing before a bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora which allowed it to be heard during the day itself.

The BJP MLAs had allegedly interrupted Lt Governor VK Saxena multiple times during his address on February 15 highlighting achievements of the AAP government, as they sought to attack the Arvind Kejriwal government on a range of issues.

Senior Advocate Jayant Mehta mentioned the matter, saying the MLAs were suspended wrongly and their right to participate in the proceedings is being affected.

He said the motion to suspend the MLAs is unconstitutional and contrary to the rules.

He further said that at the most, the MLAs could be suspended for a period of three days but here the suspension is indefinite.

AAP MLA Dilip Pandey had moved a resolution in the House seeking action on this issue, which was accepted by the Speaker.

Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel had on February 15 also sent the matter of disruption to the Privileges Committee.

Seven members of the BJP barring Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri have been barred from attending the proceedings of the House till the report is pending.

The seven members who were suspended are Mohan Singh Bisht, Ajay Mahawar, OP Sharma, Abhay Verma, Anil Vajpayi, Jitender Mahajan and Vijender Gupta.

The Budget session of the Delhi Assembly has been extended till the first week of March due to delay in budget finalisation.