HC to hear disqualified 20 AAP MLAs’ plea

New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Monday transferred to a division bench the pleas of AAP MLAs, seeking quashing of their disqualification from the Delhi Assembly for holding offices of profit.

Single judge bench of Justice Vibhu Bakhru fixed for Tuesday the matter before the Acting Chief Justice, who may either set up or refer it to an existing division bench.

The court also extended its January 24 order restraining the Election Commission (EC) from issuing any notification announcing bye-election to fill the 20 Assembly seats vacated by 20 AAP MLAs who have been disqualified.

The court’s direction came after advocate Prashant Patel, on whose plea the EC had recommended disqualification of the AAP MLAs to which the President gave his nod, moved an application seeking transfer of the matter to a division bench. The pleas were filed by eight AAP MLAs challenging the Centre’s notification.