Win for AAP: Prez rejects plea to disqualify 27 MLAs

NEW DELHI: In a major relief to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), President Ramnath Kovind has dismissed a plea to disqualify the party’s 27 MLAs for allegedly holding office of profit by being appointed as chairpersons of Rogi Kalyan Samitis attached to various Delhi hospitals.

The order was signed by the President based on an opinion by the Election Commission that found no merit in the plea. Such pleas are sent to the President who forwards it to the poll panel. The EC then gives its opinion based on which the President has to issue orders.

The ruling AAP on Thursday welcomed President Ram Nath Kovind’s decision to dismiss a plea to disqualify its 27 MLAs in an office of profit case, saying the move has defeated the BJP’s attempt at undermining constitutional institutions in the country.

In 2016, the poll commission had issued a notice to the 27 MLAs on the basis of a petition seeking their disqualification for allegedly holding office of profit.

The petitioner claimed that these MLAs were holding posts of chairpersons of Rogi Kalyan Samitis (RKSs) of different government hospitals in Delhi without any sanctity of law.

“The Delhi government in 2009 through its executive/standing orders approved constituting Rogi Kalyan Samitis in all the hospitals with governing body under the chairmanship of local MLA in violating the mandate of scheme.

“The order of appointing MLAs either by the present government or by the earlier government, as chairperson of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti is wholly illegal and void ab initio, without any legal sanctity,” the complaint had said.

Sources in the Delhi government, however, had said that Rogi Kalyan Samitis were set up by the Sheila Dikshit cabinet on October 5, 2009 and that the complaint would fall flat in due course of time. In July 2014, the then Union health minister Harsh Vardhan had in Parliament said that MPs/ MLAs will be the chairpersons of the committees.

The President dismissed the plea to disqualify 27 AAP MLAs for allegedly holding office of profit by being appointed as chairpersons of Rogi Kalyan Samitis attached to various city hospitals.

The Aam Aadmi Party expresses its gratitude towards the President for upholding the constitutional dignity by dismissing the plea.