President Kovind rejects petition to disqualify 27 AAP MLAs

President Ram Nath Kovind has rejected a petition to disqualify 27 AAP MLAs for allegedly holding office of profit by being appointed as chairpersons of Rogi Kalyan Samitis attached to various Delhi government hospitals. The President signed the order recently dismissing the plea based on an opinion given by the Election Commission. 

The poll panel had found no merit in the plea moved in June by a law student, which had claimed that the AAP MLAs were in a position to interfere in a day-to-day administration of the hospitals and hence held office



of profit. The Commission observed that the office of chairperson in Rogi Kalyan Samitis falls under the exempted category under Delhi Members of Legislative Assembly (Removal of Disqualification) Act. 

The MLAs against whom the petition was filed include Alka Lamba, S K Bagga, Rajesh Rishi, Jarnail Singh, Nitin Tyagi, Madan Lal  and Surender Singh. The poll panel is hearing another plea to disqualify 20 AAP lawmakers for allegedly holding office of profit by being appointed parliamentary secretaries.