President Ram Nath Kovind dismisses plea to disqualify 27 AAP MLAs for holding office-of-profit

President Ramnath Kovind on Thursday dismissed a plea to disqualify 27 MLAs of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi for allegedly holding office of profit by being appointed as chairpersons of Rogi Kalyan Samitis attached to various city hospitals. This comes as a huge relief for the AAP government, whose chief minister, deputy minister and 11 other MLAs, were also granted bail in another case pertaining to the assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash.

The President signed the order dismissing the plea based on an opinion given by the Election Commission (EC) in July, a senior poll panel functionary said on Thursday. The EC had found no merit in the plea.

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Such pleas are sent to the President who forwards it to the EC. The EC then gives its opinion based on which the President has to issue orders.

According to an order issued by the Delhi government's health and family welfare department on April 26, the ‘Rogi Kalyan Samitis'  (Patient Welfare Committees) are advisory in nature which will assist health facilities, develop and customise strategies among others. It stated that each Assembly Rogi Kalyan Samiti will be provided Rs 3 lakh per annum as grand-in aid.

(With PTI inputs)