The Delhi High Court has called for a response from the Speaker's office regarding a petition from BJP leader Kartar Singh Tanwar, who is contesting his recent disqualification from the Delhi Legislative Assembly. Justice Sanjeev Narula issued a notice to the Speaker and has scheduled the next hearing for December 9.
Tanwar, elected from the Chhatarpur constituency on an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ticket in 2020, was disqualified by Speaker Ram Niwas Goel on September 24 under the anti-defection law. This action followed his departure from AAP to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in July, alongside another MLA, Raaj Kumar Anand.
In the court proceedings, senior advocate Jayant Mehta, representing Tanwar, contended that the disqualification order lacked clarity and was issued without providing Tanwar with an opportunity for a personal hearing. He emphasised that the disqualification has impeded Tanwar’s legislative responsibilities and stalled important development work in his area.
The petition, submitted by lawyers Neeraj and Satya Ranjan Swain, seeks to annul the disqualification order from September 24. Additionally, MLA Dilip Kumar Pandey has been named in the petition, as he was responsible for the complaint that initiated Tanwar's disqualification.
In his appeal, Tanwar mentioned that he was motivated to join the AAP due to the 'India Against Corruption' movement. However, he criticised the party for its involvement in various scandals, arguing that these issues have damaged its image and exposed the true character of its leadership.
