CHANDIGARH: In a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Governor Banwarilal Purohit has raised concern over the conviction of cabinet minister Aman Arora and called for a detailed report on the issue.
"Please find enclosed a representation received regarding the conviction of the minister Aman Arora, Cabinet Minister in a criminal case. From the representation I understand that on December 21, 2023 a court of law convicted Aman Arora for two years and the conviction has not yet been stayed by the competent higher court. As per the judgement of the Supreme Court of India in the case of Lilly Thomas vs. Union of India, MLAs stand divested of their membership if convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for a term not less than two years by a trial court," reads the letter.
Purohit wrote that the unfolding events surrounding Arora's conviction and subsequent Republic Day appearance prompted a critical examination of the intersections between legal obligations, political responsibilities and ethical governance. "The representation also raised the question of National Flag hoisting by Arora on January 26 and alleged that the act of entrusting a disqualified legislator with the symbolic representation of the nation on a day as momentous as Republic Day not only undermines the sanctity of the legal system but also sends an unsettling message to the citizenry," the letter added.
Purohit sought a detailed report on the issue, saying, "This is a serious matter involving non-compliance with the directions given by the Supreme Court."
Earlier, in a letter to the Punjab assembly speaker, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) demanded the immediate disqualification of Arora. In a letter to Punjab speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, SAD legislator Dr Sukhwinder Sukhi said, "Arora has been found guilty on two counts and as per the landmark verdict in ‘Lily Thomas v Union of India (2013), the Supreme Court declared Section 8(4) of the Act, which protected a convicted lawmaker from immediate disqualification if he/she filed an appeal within three months from the date of the verdict, unconstitutional. In light of these directions of the Supreme Court, Arora should be disqualified as an MLA without further delay and a notification in this regard should be issued immediately."