EC notice to 19 Cong MLAs

The notices follow a complaint seeking their disqualification in the office of profit issue.

Nineteen MLAs and an MP belonging to Congress in Delhi are in a spot of trouble, with the Election Commission (EC) issuing notices to them on a complaint seeking their disqualification in the office of profit issue, sources said.

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The EC issued notices to MP Sajjan Kumar and the 19 MLAs on May 3 seeking their reply to a complaint filed by BJP legislator Vijay Jolly, who sought their disqualification on the ground that they occupied offices of profit under the NCT government.

The Congress legislators have been given time till May 22 to file their replies, the sources added.

Jolly had in March petitioned President APJ Abdul Kalam against the Congress lawmakers, which was then forwarded to the EC.

Jolly, MLA from Saket, had called for the disqualification of the Congress legislators because of their appointment as chairpersons of various Delhi District level Development Committees under the Sheila Dikshit Government.

The lone MP to be accused of holding an office of profit, Sajjan Kumar chaired the Delhi Rural Development Committee, which he had to vacate after he was indicted by the Nanavati Commission for his alleged role in 1984 Sikh riots.

The Congress MLAs against whom the complaint was filed are Naseeb Singh, Narendra Nath, Anjali Rai, Mateen Ahmed, Rajesh Jain, Prahlad Singh Sawhney, Braham Pal, Ambrish Singh Gautam, Rajesh Lilothia, Bijender Singh, Balram Tanwar, Kiran Walia, Ashok Ahuja, Tajdar Babbar, Vijay Singh Lochav, Mahabal Mishra, Kanwar Karan Singh, Veer Singh Dhingan and Bhisham Sharma.