The Rebel Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) MLAs Devinder Sehrawat and Anil Bajpai who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections were disqualified under the anti-defection law by Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel on Thursday.
The Rebel MLAs had joined BJP on May 3 and May 6 respectively. Following which the AAP on June 10 had moved a petition in the Delhi Assembly, seeking disqualification of its two legislators
The Rebel AAP MLA Devinder Sehrawat represents Bijwasan assembly while Bajpai is MLA from the Gandhi Nagar assembly.
In a similar action, Goel had disqualified another rebel party legislator Kapil Mishra from the Delhi Legislative Assembly under the anti-defection law, following a plea filed by AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj seeking Mishra’s disqualification from the Delhi Assembly. Mishra moved the Delhi High Court challenging Goel’s decision on August 5.
In his order, the Speaker said Bajpai appeared at a press conference where he joined the Bhartaiya Janata Party.
Also, the press note of the BJP stated Bajpai has joined the party on May 3 this year, which clearly proves that he has voluntarily given up the membership of the Aam Aadmi Party on May 3.
“Hence, the Respondent (Bajpai) has become subject to disqualification...The disqualification of Anil Kumar Bajpai takes effect from May 3, 2019,” the order stated.