DISQUALIFICATION PROCEEDINGS: Khaira seeks more time, Baldev Singh says plea withdrawn
CHANDIGARH Rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Tuesday sought more time from Punjab assembly speaker Rana KP Singh for submitting his reply in the disqualification proceedings under the anti-defection law. Khaira, who is among the three rebel AAP MLAs against whom disqualification proceedings are pending before the speaker, submitted an interim reply, saying he remained occupied due to a family function and needed more time to submit his reply, said a Punjab assembly official.
CHANDIGARH
Rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Tuesday sought more time from Punjab assembly speaker Rana KP Singh for submitting his reply in the disqualification proceedings under the anti-defection law.
Khaira, who is among the three rebel AAP MLAs against whom disqualification proceedings are pending before the speaker, submitted an interim reply, saying he remained occupied due to a family function and needed more time to submit his reply, said a Punjab assembly official. A two-time MLA from Bholath, Khaira quit the AAP to float his party about a year ago.
According to the 10th Schedule of the Constitution, if a member voluntarily gives up members of a political party, he or she is subject to disqualification. The petition against Khaira was filed by the AAP.
Jaitu MLA Baldev Singh, who was also asked to submit his reply to a petition seeking his disqualification, informed the speaker that it has been withdrawn. “The disqualification petition was filed by some persons from my assembly constituency and they withdrew it last week. I have brought this to the speaker’s attention in my reply,” said the first-time MLA who quit the AAP in January but rejoined it in October 2019.
On the other hand, Ropar MLA Amarjit Singh Sandoa, who had joined the ruling Congress just days before the April-May 2019 Lok Sabha elections, has sought clarity on the rules under which proceedings have been initiated.