The Delhi High Court today reserved its verdict in the petitions lodged by seven BJP MLAs challenging their recent suspension from the remainder of the Budget session of the Delhi Assembly, for allegedly interrupting the Lieutenant Governor’s address.
Reserving the order, Justice Subramonium Prasad asked the counsels appearing for the suspended MLAs and Delhi Assembly to file short written submissions, if any, within two days. The suspended BJP MLAs Mohan Singh Bisht, Ajay Mahawar, OP Sharma, Abhay Verma, Anil Vajpayi, Jitender Mahajan, and Vijender Gupta.
Appearing for the MLAs, Senior Advocate Jayant Mehta contended that the suspension till conclusion of the proceedings before the privileges committee, was in violation of the appropriate Rules. Countering, Senior Advocate Sudhir Nandrajog appearing for the Delhi Assembly said that the suspension of MLAs was a self-discipline mechanism.
Senior Advocate Jayanta Mejta further submitted that the MLA have been punished already and are suspended. He added that what the house has done through the motion is an unknown specie and it is not known by the rules at all.
The Delhi High Court was earlier informed that the MLAs wrote a letter of apology to LG Vinai Kumar Saxena which was accepted by him and that they also sent the copy of the letter to the Speaker via email. Subsequently, Justice Prasad had asked the MLAs to meet the Speaker. Nonetheless, since the matter was not resolved, the court heard the pleas on merits.
Reports said that the aforesaid BJP MLAs had repeatedly interrupted Lt Governor VK Saxena during his address on February 15, which emphasized on highlighting the achievements of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
In the petition lodged by the 7 MLAs, it has been asserted that other members of the ruling party AAP, were also heckling and shouting inside the house. However, the Speaker because of his biases and prejudices has not taken any action against the Deputy Speaker and members of the ruling party, though the said acts were of grave nature.