DEMOCRATIC FUNCTIONING STONEWALLED: SUSPENDED MLA

NEW DELHI: BJP MLA OP Sharma, who was suspended from the Delhi assembly for two sessions for allegedly making derogatory remarks against AAP legislator Alka Lamba, on Tuesday told the Delhi high court that democratic functioning had been ‘stonewalled’ in the assembly.

Sharma’s counsel told Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva that as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had a majority in the house, there was ‘bias and illegality’ in the way he was suspended from the assembly.

Procedures were not followed, he said.

“The facts smack of clear malafide of the respondent (Legislative Assembly),” his counsel said, adding, “I am showing the manner in which democratic functioning has been stonewalled in the Assembly.”

The counsel claimed that pertinent questions asked by the three BJP MLA’s were ‘sidelined’ in the assembly.

The court however asked the counsel, “First you have to show the extent of judicial intervention in the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly.”

The counsel, who read out part of proceedings of the assembly, said she would refer to the facts of the matter first and then address this issue.

When his lawyer said that all members of ethics committee which dealt with this matter were members of AAP, the court asked, “Do the rules prescribe that ethics committee should have at least a member of the Opposition party?”

Responding to the query, the counsel said “No. The rules do not prescribe so, but propriety demands this so that there are no allegations of bias.” PTI