Rebel AAP MLAs request Speaker to defer disqualification hearings

Bajpai and Sehrawat had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Lok Sabha polls after which AAP MLA and party spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj had filed two petitions before the Assembly secretariat seeking disqualification of the two legislators.

Rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators Devinder Sehrawat and Anil Bajpai on Monday sought deferment of a personal hearing that is to be held by the Speaker on a petition seeking their disqualification from the Delhi Assembly.

Citing the same reason, Bijwasan MLA Sehrwat, sought four weeks to furnish his reply over the charge of joining the BJP. (HT Photo)

Bajpai and Sehrawat had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Lok Sabha polls after which AAP MLA and party spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj had filed two petitions before the Assembly secretariat seeking disqualification of the two legislators. On June 17, the Assembly secretariat sent notices to them seeking their comments. They submitted their statements to the secretariat on Monday.

In their replies, Sehrawat and Bajpai said the newspaper clippings annexed in Bharadwaj’s petition were “illegible” and demanded that they be provided with typed and translated copies so that they are able to submit their response on the defection charge.

“....I request you to defer the hearing on June 25 and grant me six weeks time from the date of supply of clear typed and translated copies of the petition and annexed documents,” Bajpai, MLA from Gandhi Nagar, said in his written submission to the Delhi Assembly secretary.

Citing the same reason, Bijwasan MLA Sehrwat, sought four weeks to furnish his reply over the charge of joining the BJP.

While Speaker Ram Niwas Goel did not comment on the issue, officials in the Assembly secretariat said on condition of anonymity that the personal hearing of the two legislators was still slotted for 3pm on Tuesday.

“The Speaker is of the view that seven days are sufficient to respond to the said notices. As of now, the hearing is still on the schedule of the Speaker,” an official said.

Talking to reporters, Sehrawat said “technically” he cannot face disqualification as he has not yet taken membership of the BJP. “Kirti Azad and Shatrughan Sinha shared the dais with leaders of opposition parties and still continued to be members of parliament. Also, as per the Supreme Court laid guidelines, while deciding cases under anti-defection law, the office of the Speaker acts as a tribunal. So, the documents furnished before it should be up to the mark and not shoddy,” he said.

Bajpai also said he has not joined the BJP on paper. “Also, an office of profit case is pending against me. So, before applying the anti-defection law against me, it needs to be clarified by the court whether I, and several others, were even legislators or not,” he said.