Round 2: Disqualified AAP legislators approach Delhi HC against President’s order

A day after an application seeking interim relief for the twenty MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was dismissed as withdrawn, the Delhi High Court has once again been approached..This time, the notification of the President of India issued in exercise of his powers under Section 15(4) of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, disqualifying the twenty AAP legislators, has been challenged in the High Court..The disqualified AAP legislators today approached the Bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and AK Chawla with an urgent mentioning..The Bench agreed to hear the matter on Wednesday, January 24..The plea filed by the disqualified legislators has also sought stay and quashing of the government’s notification..Yesterday, the disqualified legislators withdrew their application seeking a stay on the order of the Election Commission. The same was being heard by the Single Judge Bench of Justice Rekha Palli..Justice Palli had questioned the legislators as to why they did not participate in the proceedings being conducted by the Election Commission even though they had not been given any relief by the Delhi High Court in the writ petition filed by them earlier..The Court then posted the hearing of the main writ petition for March 20..The matter emanated out of a petition filed by one Prashant Patel in 2015, whereby he had sought the disqualification of 21 AAP MLAs on grounds of holding office of profit as Parliamentary Secretaries to the Ministers of the Delhi government.