AAP MLAs' office-of-profit case: 'Will fight it out again,' says Congress

The Congress today said it would fight the office-of-profit case involving 20 AAP MLAs in the Election Commission of India (ECI) again, after the Delhi High Court set aside their disqualification and asked the poll panel to hear the matter afresh.

Reacting on the high court order, Congress's Delhi unit president Ajay Maken tweeted, "We will fight it out in the Election Commission again as these 20 MLAs have enjoyed perks. HC has not disputed or denied this. The HC has just asked ECI to look at it again in the light of natural justice!"

Maken claimed that the AAP government itself had admitted before the Election Commission that a huge amount was spent on office, furniture, transportation and perks for these MLAs who worked as parliamentary secretaries.

The High Court termed the Election Commission's recommendation on disqualification as "vitiated", and noted that there was violation of natural justice and no oral hearing was given to the MLAs before disqualifying them as legislators of the Delhi Assembly.

A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Chander Shekhar said that the notification disqualifying the MLAs was bad in law and remanded their plea back to the EC which will hear it afresh. 

"It is a victory of truth," Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said after the Delhi High Court set aside the Centre's notification disqualifying 20 AAP MLAs in an office of profit case.

"It is a victory of truth. The elected representatives were wrongfully disqualified. The high court has given justice to the people of Delhi. It is their victory. Congratulations to the people of Delhi," Kejriwal tweeted.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia too welcomed the order as he joined the AAP legislators in thumping tables in the Delhi Assembly during its ongoing Budget session. The MLAs shouted "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" in the Assembly after the order.