New Delhi: The Election Commission has decided to hear the plea of 21 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs in the Office of Profit case on July 14.
These 21 legislators were appointed as Parliamentary Secretaries by AAP’s Delhi government last year. A petition has alleged that the legislators occupied offices of profit in violation of the Constitution. They can be disqualified if EC finds them guilty of flouting rules.
The ruling party and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal maintain that the MLAs were not paid any salary or awarded any other perks for holding the post of Parliamentary Secretaries.
The Indian Constitution prohibits legislators from holding an office that would allow them to benefit financially. The Delhi government had sought an amendment to the Delhi Members of Legislative Assembly (Removal of Disqualification) Act, 1997.
Through the Bill, the AAP government wanted "retrospective" exemption for the parliamentary secretaries from disqualification provisions. The Bill was forwarded by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung to the Centre, which in turn was sent to the President with its comments.
The bill was rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee thus throwing the ball in Election Commission’s court which will now take a decision on disqualification of MLAs.
