Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) rebel legislators Colonel Devinder Kumar Sehrawat and Anil Bajpai, who are facing the charges of defecting to the BJP, on Monday, presented written submissions to the Secretary of the Delhi Assembly seeking deferment of their personal hearing before the Speaker on the issue, which is scheduled for Tuesday.
Notices issued
Notices were issued to the two legislators, who represent the Bijwasan and Gandhi Nagar Assembly constituencies, respectively, on a petition moved by AAP Greater Kailash MLA and party spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj, accusing them of joining the BJP ahead of the recent Lok Sabha poll.
In their replies, Mr. Sehrawat and Mr. Bajpai said that the newspaper clippings annexed with Mr. Bhardwaj’s petition were “illegible” and demanded that they be provided typed and translated copies so that they are able to submit their responses on charges of defection.
Written submission
“...I request you to defer the hearing on June 25 and grant me six weeks time from the date of supply of clear typed and translated copies of the petition and annexed documents...,” Mr. Bajpai said in his written submission.
Citing the same reason, Mr. Sehrawat sought four weeks’ time to furnish his reply over the charge of joining the BJP. “The Office of the Speaker acts as a tribunal as per Supreme Court laid guidelines, while deciding cases under anti-defection law and hence the documents furnished before it should be up to the standard,” Mr. Sehrawat said at a press conference.
On his part, Mr. Bajpai argued that an office of profit case was pending against him and before applying the anti-defection law, it needed to be clarified whether he was a legislator or not.
Hearing today
Meanwhile, sources, however, said that both legislators were given seven days’ time, which was “sufficient to respond to the notice of Delhi Assembly Secretariat” and added that the hearing on the issue would take place on Tuesday as per schedule and the “laid down rules”.
Membership row
Mr. Sehrawat and Mr. Bajpai had joined the BJP in the presence of senior party leaders, including Union Minister Vijay Goel although both maintained that they had not applied for the membership of the party.
“Even on the BJP dais, I had said that I have not taken the party membership. Kirti Azad and Shatrughan Sinha shared dias with leaders of Opposition parties and still continued to be Members of Parliament,” Mr. Sehrawat said.