Delhi HC stays decision to disqualify Tahir Hussain, who had incited Delhi riots amidst chants of Allahu Akbar, as councillor

Delhi HC puts on hold Tahir Hussain's disqualification as MCD councillor

The Delhi court Friday has put a hold on East Delhi Municipal Corporation’s (EDMC) decision to revoke the councillorship of Tahir Hussain, accused in the murder of IB officer Ankit Sharma and Delhi riots. ECMC had on August 26, 2020, decided to permanently terminate the Aam Aadmi party’s suspended MLA Tahir Hussain, who was the elected Councillor from Municipal Corporation Ward No-59E, Nehru Vihar, for failing to discharge his duty as a Councillor.

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Justice Najmi Waziri put on hold the East Delhi Municipal Corporation’s decision, following Tahir Hussain’s plea challenging the order. The petition on behalf of the suspended AAP MLA was moved in court through his wife.

The court also issued notice to the corporation, represented by its standing counsel Gaurang Kanth, and sought its stand on the petition by March next year. Advocate Rizwan, appearing for Hussain, confirmed that the court stayed the EDMC decision.

EDMC revokes Councillorship of IB officer Ankit Sharma murder and Delhi riots accused ex-AAP MLA

On August 26, EDMC has revoked Tahir Hussain’s Councillorship for allegedly being absent from House meetings for three consecutive times without prior notice.

The resolution passed by EDMC then read that since section 33 (2) of the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act states that if a councillor is absent from meetings of the corporation for three successive months, without its permission, the seat can be declared vacant, and Tahir Hussain remained absent from January 2020 – July 2020 (March 2020 – May 2020 meeting remained suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic) without intimation, his membership has been terminated. 

The decision had come in the heels of a letter written by senior Delhi BJP leader Praveen Shankar Kapoor to East Delhi Mayor Nirmal Jain on August 11 asking him to revoke Hussain’s membership to the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) for his role in Delhi riots and for failing to discharge his duty.

Tahir Hussain had emerged the as the kingpin of the North-East Delhi anti-Hindu riots

AAP MLA Tahir Hussain had emerged as the kingpin of the sporadic anti-Hindu riots which North-East Delhi witnessed between February 23 and 26. In his confession, Tahir Hussain has said that he was involved in planning and executing of Anti Hindu Delhi Riots of February 2020. He said in his statement to the police that extremist Islamic group Popular Front of India (PFI) helped him in the planning and arranging funds. Tahir Hussain is also the main accused of the murder of IB officer Ankit Sharma. In his disclosure statement, Tahir Hussain detailed how he organised the riots to take revenge against Hindus and teach ‘Kafirs’ a lesson amidst chants of Allahu Akbar and Nara-e-Taqbeer.

OpIndia Staff: Staff reporter at OpIndia