In 2016, Vibhor Anand, a lawyer, filed a petition seeking disqualification of 27 MLAs for allegedly holding office of profit. The petition filed in June 2016 sought President’s permission to cancel membership of the 27 MLAs, 10 of which were disqualified yesterday following a separate petition that sought to disqualify 20 MLAs for holding office of profit.
Speaking to OpIndia.com, Vibhor Anand claimed that these MLAs hold posts of chairpersons of Rogi Kalyan Samitis (RKSs) of various government hospitals in Delhi, which is an instance of holding offices of profit. Furthermore, the MLAs holding these posts has no sanctity of law, he claims.
According to Anand, the RKS were established in 2005 by UPA led Central Government. In 2009, the Delhi Government, then led by Congress’ Sheila Dikshit, flouted 2005 rules and made the MLAs the chairpersons of the RKS, he informed.
Anand further told OpIndia that these rules were then amended in 2015, where only the state health minister, local member of parliament (MP) or district magistrate (DM) could be a chairperson. Despite this, Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party appointed 27 MLAs as chairpersons of the RKS, which is illegal, Anand argues.
Following yesterday’s decision that disqualified 20 MLAs for similar reasons, Anand will now be approaching the Election Commission on Monday and appeal to fast track the hearing.
If the Election Commission disqualifies the remaining 17 MLAs, since 10 MLAs were already disqualified yesterday, the number of disqualified MLAs will go above the halfway mark of the Delhi assembly strength, which could attract President’s Rule in Delhi. Fresh election will have to be held within six months of such imposition.
Anand claims that while none of the AAP MLAs have come out to defend themselves, he did once receive a call that apparently came from the Chief Minister’s office, asking him to meet the CM, which he declined.
Following the debacle in Punjab and Goa, and the backlash for AAP’s ‘compromised‘ Rajya Sabha candidates, a fresh round of elections will surely give Arvind Kejriwal sleepless nights.