EC notice to 27 AAP MLAs on new plea over office of profit

In fresh trouble for ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi, the Election Commission on Wednesday issued show-cause notice to its 27 MLAs on a fresh petition seeking their disqualification for allegedly holding office of profit.

The petition filed in June, and forwarded to the Commission by Rashtrapati Bhawan last month, had sought cancellation of membership of 27 AAP MLAs over the office of profit issue.

The 27 MLAs include seven legislators against whom the EC is already considering a similar plea for holding the office of parliamentary secretaries.

The list also includes Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, his deputy Rakhi Birla, former deputy speaker Bandana Kumari and estranged AAP MLA and Swaraj Abhiyan leader Pankaj Pushkar.

Sources in the Commission confirmed that notices have been issued. The MLAs have been asked to file their responses by November 11.

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