Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira’s ouster from Punjab Vidhan Sabha appears inevitable as he was put on 15-day notice on Monday asking why he may not be disqualified.
Under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, the Vidhan Sabha has issued notice to Sukhpal Singh Khaira for disqualification after receiving two separate petitions in this regard.
Khaira, who was suspended by AAP after he rebelled against the party following his removal as the leader of Opposition in Vidhan Sabha and later resigned, has recently floated his own political outfit — Punjabi Ekta Party (PEP).
“One Harsimran Singh of Metla village in Bholath, Kapurthala, and Harpal Singh Cheema, MLA and Leader of Opposition in Punjab Legislative Assembly, in their respective petitions dated January 10, 2019, and January 16, 2019, have made references to the Speaker for Sukhpal Singh Khaira’s disqualification under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India,” said Assembly spokesperson.
Spokesperson said that as directed by the Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana KP Singh, Khaira has been given 15 days to file his reply as to “why action under the above provisions of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India should not be initiated against him”.
“In case of failure to file the reply within the stipulated period, it will be presumed that Khaira has nothing to say in this regard,” the spokesperson added.
The move came days after AAP MLAs, led by Harpal Cheema, had met the Speaker and submitted a petition pointing that Khaira had resigned from the party, and sought his disqualification as member of Punjab legislative assembly.
Cheema, in his petition to the Speaker, had stated that Khaira had voluntarily given up AAP’s membership and had floated his own political party.
Sukhpal Singh Khaira had quit AAP on January 6, six months after he was ousted from the post of Leader of Opposition.
However, he had not resigned as MLA and had dared AAP to get him disqualified.