SC seeks replies on plea of Azam Khan against disqualification

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Uttar Pradesh government and Election Commission of India on a plea of Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan against his disqualification from the state assembly after his conviction and three-year jail sentence in a hate speech case.

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Hima Kohli asked Additional Advocate General Garima Prashad, appearing for Uttar Pradesh to file her response to Azam Khan's plea and asked his petition to be served on the standing counsel for the Election Commission.

"What was the tearing hurry to disqualify him? At least you should have given some breathing space to him", the bench told Prashad after she said that disqualification was in accordance with direction given by the top court in one of its judgements.

At the outset, senior advocate P Chidambaram, appearing for Khan said the BJP MLA Vikram Saini from Khatauli in Muzzaffarnagar district was also convicted on October 11 and sentenced to two years but no decision has been taken for his disqualification.