Giving a major setback to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Election Commission on January 19 disqualified 20 party MLAs for holding ‘office of profit’.
According to the reports, the commission has sent the recommendation to the President, which if approved will reduce AAP’s strength in Delhi Assembly to 47. Currently, the party has a massive presence of 67 members in the 70-member Delhi assembly.
The controversy over the “office of profit” started in 2015 when lawyer Prashant Patel questioned the appointment of AAP MLAs as parliamentary secretaries and filed an application.
The BJP has welcomed the Election Commission’s decision and calls it a major moral defeat for Kejriwal.
Better late than never, EC Election disqualifies 20 AAP MLAs for holding ‘office of profit’. The AAP govt has much to answer to the public for their political impropriety as Delhi is headed for mid-term #elections. Will request Hon’ble President for speedy approval.
— Vijender Gupta (@Gupta_vijender) January 19, 2018
However, AAP claims that the Commission passed the verdict without hearing the matter.
This must be the first ever recommendation in EC history where a recommendation has been sent without even hearing the main matter on merits. NO HEARING TOOK PLACE IN EC ON THE POINT OF OFFICE OF PROFIT
— Nagendar Sharma (@sharmanagendar) January 19, 2018
