NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court was assured by the Assembly authorities on Friday that the indefinite suspension imposed on seven BJP MLAs for interrupting the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) during his address during the budget session was not an attempt to stifle dissent in the House and the privileges committee’s proceedings against them would be concluded without any delay.
Senior advocate Sudhir Nandrajog, appearing for the Delhi Assembly, asserted before Justice Subramonium Prasad that suspension is a “self-discipline” mechanism in the face of a “series of misdemeanours” by opposition legislators.
The court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by the seven BJP MLAs challenging their suspension from the Assembly till the conclusion of the privileges committee proceedings.
Opposing the petitions, Nandrajog contended that the House holds discretion in matters of maintaining its dignity and when the petitioners wrote a letter to the LG tendering their apology, they could have written a similar letter to the House as well for causing disruptions.
The judge told the counsel for the petitioners to consider sorting out the issue by addressing a letter showing their “utmost respect” to the House.
During the hearing, Nandrajog asserted that the suspended MLAs had violated the code of conduct and there is no question of the action being political in view of the “kind of majority” that the ruling AAP enjoys in the House.
“The leader of opposition was equally guilty. The leader of opposition, who enjoys special privileges, has been left. Dissent is not stifled in the factual aspects of this case,” he said.
“We did not move ahead yesterday (with the privileges committee’s proceedings)... Things are lingering because of the pendency of court proceedings. We will not delay the proceedings in any manner. There is no intention to delay,” Nandrajog added.
Nandrajog also said the “final decision” in the matter is yet to be taken by the authorities and there is, thus, no denial of the opportunity of hearing to the MLAs.