SC junks rebel AAP MLA Devender Sehrawat’s plea against disqualification notice

Devender Sehrawat joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Vijay Goel. (Express Photo)

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected a plea by rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Devender Sehrawat, challenging the disqualification notice under the anti-defection law issued to him by the Delhi Assembly Secretariat for allegedly joining the BJP before the Lok Sabha polls.

A vacation bench, comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice B R Gavai, told the counsel appearing for Sehrawat that the MLA can raise his grievances during the proceedings on the disqualification notice before the Delhi Assembly Speaker. Following the top court’s directive, Sehrawat’s counsel withdrew the petition.

In his plea, the legislator had claimed that he was yet to join primary membership of the BJP.

Besides Sehrawat, the Delhi Assembly Secretariat had issued a notice to another rebel AAP MLA Anil Bajpai after the party moved a petition seeking their disqualification under the anti-defection law for joining the BJP.

Sehrawat and Bajpai were on Tuesday given a week’s time by the Delhi Assembly Speaker to submit their replies over allegedly joining the BJP. While Sehrawat is a legislator from Bijwasan, Bajpai represents the Gandhi Nagar constituency.