Attacking the Election Commission (EC) a day after it disqualified 20 AAP MLAs for holding office of profit, the Shiv Sena on Saturday termed the decision questionable doubting if there was any ulterior motive behind the move.
“There is a question mark on decision of Election Commission. Questioning Election Commission is common when decisions like these come,” Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said.
“Election Commission is itself responsible for it,” Raut added.
On Friday, the EC recommended to President Ram Nath Kovind to disqualify 20 AAP MLAs for holding offices of profit as Parliamentary Secretaries, triggering calls for resignation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The President is bound to act in accordance with the poll panel’s recommendation.
The EC gave its opinion to the President on a complaint by advocate Prashant Patel, a member of the Hindu Legal Cell, in June 2015, who petitioned then President Pranab Mukherjee alleging illegality in the appointment of Parliamentary Secretaries.
The decision led to calls by the Congress and BJP — who have been demanding the disqualification — for Kejriwal’s resignation.
Later on Friday, the Delhi High Court refused to grant interim relief to AAP MLAs against the Election Commission’s recommendation.