Source: hindustantimes.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Gandhi Nagar Anil Bajpai, who defected to the BJP just before the Lok Sabha elections, moved the Delhi High Court on Saturday, accusing Delhi assembly speaker Ram Niwas Goel of favouring the ruling party. Bajpai demanded Goel\u2019s \u2018recusal\u2019 from hearing the anti-defection petition moved against him by AAP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On June 20, AAP had moved an anti-defection petition against Bajpai and Bijwasan MLA Devinder Sehrawat \u2013 both AAP rebels -\u2014for joining the BJP days before the Lok Sabha elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The petition, which has not been admitted yet because it is yet to be cleared by the Delhi High Court for hearing, alleged that Goel has brought \u201cutter disregard to the virtue, ethics and integrity being a speaker\u201d by joining protests organised by AAP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The plea, filed through advocate Neeraj, said Goel had joined a \u201cprotest called by AAP at Rajghat\u201d. He \u201cwore black bands\u201d in the Delhi assembly in protest with ministers after Delhi lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal had contented that the \u201cspeaker cannot accept questions on reserve subjects\u201d, the plea alleged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Goel, however, refused to comment on the allegations levelled against him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The petition, which is likely to come up on hearing for next week, said Goel had actively attended AAP\u2019s election campaigns during the Lok Sabha elections. \u201cThe respondent no 1 (Goel), was seen to be dancing with Aam Aadmi Party workers in the campaign,\u201d the plea read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bajpai contended the petition against him will not be \u201cimpartially adjudicated\u201d as the authority, which is the speaker, is acting as an active member of AAP, which had initiated the anti-defection proceedings against him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When contacted, Anil Bajpai said, \u201cI approached the high court against Delhi assembly speaker Ram Niwas Goel. He has not respected the constitutional post and remained unbiased. He campaigned for AAP in the Lok Sabha elections. He should recuse himself in the matter related to my disqualification from the Assembly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response, AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj said, \u201cIt\u2019s a well-known fact that Anil Bajpai had openly joined the BJP at a press conference. This was telecast on news channels and published in newspapers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNow when any MLA changes party, he gets disqualified under the anti-defection act. Why are they so scared to admit the fact that they changed the party? It\u2019s not just Speaker, everyone will agree that they had joined BJP. They may go to any court but they have to accept the truth,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The plea alleged that the Speaker had not entertained an application by Bajpai seeking his recusal from the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It said the speaker should recuse himself from deciding the anti-defection petition and constitute a committee to look into the proceedings initiated against him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anil Bajpai had joined the BJP on May 3, days before Delhi went to Lok Sabha polls. On June 20, AAP approached the Speaker and moved a petition seeking disqualification of two MLAs, including Bajpai.<\/p>\n