Aam Admi Party (AAP) spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh blamed Election Commission of India (ECI) for adopting a partisan attitude in disqualifying 20 party MLAs of Delhi without giving an opportunity to explain the post of profit charge.
“Set to retire in a few days, Chief Election Commissioner A K Joti through this decision has tried to appease his former boss Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” alleged Singh.
Talking to media persons in Lucknow on Saturday, Singh said that the ECI decision was unprecedented and goes against all previous decisions taken in similar matters.
“In similar matters in West Bengal, Haryana, Gujarat, Punjab, Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand and even in Delhi during 2006, the appointment of Parliamentary secretaries were declared illegal but membership of legislators were not cancelled. Why is it being done in case of Delhi MLAs this time,” he asked.
“Besides, in appointment letter for Parliamentary secretaries of 20 MLAs of Delhi, it was clearly stated that they would not get any remuneration and perks. How were these MLAs termed as assuming posts of profit by the ECI when they were getting nothing,” he sought to know.
“I have specific information that two other Election Commissioners kept themselves away from the CEC verdict on the matter,” he claimed.
Singh said that four senior Supreme Court judges have already alleged that democracy was under threat and now PM Modi was influencing a Consitutional organisation like ECI.
The leader also slammed BJP and Congress leaders for demanding resignation of Arvind Kejriwal government over the issue. “Did the governments of Gujarat, Punjab and others resign when there MLAs were involved in post of profit incident,” he said.
Singh also said that AAP will approach the Delhi High Court in the matter and a hearing was expected on Monday.