Office of profit: Prez dismisses plea to disqualify 27 AAP MLAs

New Delhi: In a relief to Aam Admi Party (AAP), President Ram Nath Kovind has rejected a petition to disqualify 27 of its Delhi MLAs for allegedly holding office of profit by being appointed as chairpersons of Rogi Kalyan Samitis attached to various city government hospitals.

The President signed the order on October 15 dismissing the plea based on an opinion given by the Election Commission (EC) on July 10.

The EC had found no merit in the plea, moved on June 21, 2016 by Vibhor Anand, which had claimed that the 27 AAP MLAs were in a position to "interfere" in a day-to-day administration of these hospitals and hence held office of profit. The petition had also claimed that in May, 2015 the Delhi health minister had issued directions to all government

hospitals to provide office space to

chairperson of the committee, which also attracted provision of the office of profit law. See P3