Sacked Punjab health minister Vijay Singla being taken to the Civil Hospital in Mohali for medical check-up, on Tuesday. (Express photo by Jasbir Malhi) Even as Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann sacked health minister Dr Vijay Singla from his Cabinet soon after he was allegedly presented with a sting recording seeking kick-backs, he is not likely to be disqualified from Vidhan Sabha and also from membership of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan told The Indian Express that, “A case has been registered by the Police against the minister. Now, the case is in the court and now it is sub-judiced. We cannot take action against him.
The Court has to give its judgement on him. Till then, we are not taking any action against him. It is a preliminary
inquiry being done. The case will go for a trial in the court. Then the judgement would tell whether he is to be retained or disqualified.”
The Speaker said he can be thrown out of the party but his membership from Vidhan Sabha cannot go, said Sandhwan.
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The party has 92 MLAs in 117-member house. It would not like to lose any of its seats. The Speaker also said that they would not disqualify Patiala (rural) MLA Dr Balbir Singh also, who was convicted in an assault case two days ago. Sandhwan said, “We have taken a legal opinion on the issue. He can be given three months time to file an appeal in an appellate court. If he does not file an appeal then he can be disqualified.” If an MLA is disqualified then a by-election is to be conducted within six months.
With Dr Singla’s ouster, another vacancy has been created in the Cabinet. After having sacked him from his Cabinet, the CM is likely to keep the health portfolio with himself for now. Sources said, “When a berth is vacated in the Cabinet, the department automatically goes to the CM. But the CM is not likely to give it to anyone else for now. He will be supervising the flagship program of Mohalla Clinics himself,” a functionary of the government said.
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