AAP Moves Delhi Speaker, Seeks Disqualification of 2 Rebel MLAs

The two MLAs, Bajpai and Sehrawat had been openly critical of AAP and had joined the BJP in May.

Former AAP and new BJP MLAs, Anil Bajpai and Devinder Sehrawat.

(Photo Courtesy: Altered by The Quint)

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday, 19 June approached the Delhi Assembly Speaker, seeking disqualification of its two rebel MLAs, Anil Bajpai and Devinder Sehrawat, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, party spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said.

The two MLAs, Bajpai and Sehrawat had been openly critical of AAP and had joined the BJP on 3 May and 6 May respectively.

Bharadwaj confirmed that a petition has been moved against the rebel MLAs, seeking their disqualification from the assembly.

The AAP's action comes months ahead of the Assembly polls in Delhi.

While Sehrawat said that he had received a notice from the speaker, Bajpai said that there is no merit in AAP's petition as the case of office of profit against him is still subjudice.

“Under the existing laws, they (AAP) have not issued a proper notice. Even on the BJP dais, I had said that I have not taken the party membership... There is a due process before seeking my disqualification and I have not received any notice directly from the AAP,” said Sehrawat.

He said that while the AAP is seeking his disqualification, the then BJP MPs Shatrughan Sinha and Kirti Azad had participated in several AAP programmes in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls.

Bajpai said, "The decision on my membership to the Legislative Assembly is still pending."

Last year, the Delhi High Court restored the membership of 20 disqualified AAP MLAs and referred the case back to the Election Commission (EC).

The HC had said that the disqualification of AAP MLAs was unlawful and therefore, remanded their plea back to the EC which will hear it afresh.