<p>Chandigarh: Rebel Akali MLA Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi, who is facing a disqualification plea for defecting from the SAD to the AAP last year, has been asked to present his side, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said on Sunday.</p>.<p>Sukhi, who is a two-time Akali MLA from the Banga assembly seat, was appointed as the Aam Aadmi Party's state vice-president for the Doaba zone on Saturday.</p>.<p>"Dr Sukhi is an honourable member of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. He has all the rights that other members have under the law. He has been given time to present his side," Sandhwan told reporters.</p>.Akali Dal leader Harjinder Singh shot dead in Amritsar; 3 assailants identified.<p>He said Sukhi has been called in July to present his side.</p>.<p>A doctor by profession, Sukhi joined the AAP in August last year in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.</p>.<p>Advocate H C Arora had filed a petition before the Assembly speaker, seeking Sukhi's disqualification as a member in view of his alleged defection from the SAD to the AAP.</p>.<p>Sukhi first became MLA from the Banga assembly seat in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district in the 2017 assembly elections on a SAD ticket. He was again elected as a legislator in the 2022 assembly elections.</p>.<p>Sukhi unsuccessfully fought the 2023 Jalandhar parliamentary bypoll.</p>.<p>The AAP earlier appointed Sukhi as chairman of the Punjab State Container and Warehousing Corporation in the Cabinet rank.</p>
<p>Chandigarh: Rebel Akali MLA Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi, who is facing a disqualification plea for defecting from the SAD to the AAP last year, has been asked to present his side, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said on Sunday.</p>.<p>Sukhi, who is a two-time Akali MLA from the Banga assembly seat, was appointed as the Aam Aadmi Party's state vice-president for the Doaba zone on Saturday.</p>.<p>"Dr Sukhi is an honourable member of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. He has all the rights that other members have under the law. He has been given time to present his side," Sandhwan told reporters.</p>.Akali Dal leader Harjinder Singh shot dead in Amritsar; 3 assailants identified.<p>He said Sukhi has been called in July to present his side.</p>.<p>A doctor by profession, Sukhi joined the AAP in August last year in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.</p>.<p>Advocate H C Arora had filed a petition before the Assembly speaker, seeking Sukhi's disqualification as a member in view of his alleged defection from the SAD to the AAP.</p>.<p>Sukhi first became MLA from the Banga assembly seat in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district in the 2017 assembly elections on a SAD ticket. He was again elected as a legislator in the 2022 assembly elections.</p>.<p>Sukhi unsuccessfully fought the 2023 Jalandhar parliamentary bypoll.</p>.<p>The AAP earlier appointed Sukhi as chairman of the Punjab State Container and Warehousing Corporation in the Cabinet rank.</p>