EC to resume hearing in AAP MLAs case in May

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission will resume hearing of the case of disqualification of 20 Aam Aadmi Party MLAs for allegedly holding offices of profit from May 17.

The Commission has directed the 20 Delhi lawmakers to appear in person or through their legal representatives at 3.00 pm on the day for 'oral hearing'.

"The oral hearing will be on the merit of the case," explained a senior EC official.

The EC's decision comes days after the Delhi High Court set aside an order disqualifying them. The court had also termed the recommendation as "vitiated" and "bad in law", and directed the EC to hear the issue afresh.

It had said once the EC opinion and the subsequent notification are set aside, proceedings before the poll panel would continue from the stage the error and lapse had occurred.

The legislators, who were appointed parliamentary secretaries, had challenged their disqualification for holding office of profit.

The party had alleged that the Commission did not give its plea a hearing since March last year.

The EC, however, maintains that AAP was given two opportunities to file written submissions.

The MLAs were accused of holding offices of profit as they were appointed parliamentary secretaries to ministers in the Delhi government in March 2015, soon after being elected to the Delhi Assembly.

In September 2016, the Delhi High Court had ruled against their appointment as parliamentary secretaries, after hearing their pleas on a daily basis. With agency inputs