AAP Office-of-Profit case: Mamata bats for Kejriwal

Kolkata [West Bengal], Jan 19 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday extended support to Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, following the Election Commission's (EC) recommendation to disqualify 20 party MLAs for holding an 'office-of-profit'.

"A Constitutional body cannot be used for political vendetta. The 20 AAP MLAs were not even given a hearing by the Hon EC. Most unfortunate. This goes against the principles of natural justice.At this hour we are strongly with @arvindkejriwal and his team", she wrote on Twitter.

A Constitutional body cannot be used for political vendetta. The 20 AAP MLAs were not even given a hearing by the Hon EC. Most unfortunate. This goes against the principles of natural justice.At this hour we are strongly with @arvindkejriwal and his team

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) January 19, 2018

The EC has sent its recommendation to President Ram Nath Kovind for his assent.

In cases where petitions are made seeking disqualification of lawmakers, the president sends a reference to the EC which decides on the case by sending back its opinion.

In the current scenario, the petition was directed at 21 MLAs, but one MLA, named Jarnail Singh, resigned earlier. He resigned last year, to fight in the Punjab elections against then Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

If the president gives his assent, the disqualification of the legislators would pave the way for by-elections in Delhi. (ANI)