Telangana News

Based on allegations of holding offices of profit, the Election Commission issued show cause notices to 27 AAP MLAs. The commission was acting on a petition that sought their disqualification and the MLAs have been asked to respond by  November 11th to submit their statements.

The petition was filed in June and was sent to the commission by the Rashtrapati Bhawan in October. The MLAs under the commission's scanner include 7 legislators, who are already being investigated over similar accusations. The MLAs include Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla, former deputy speaker Bandana Kumari and ex-AAP MLA Pankaj Pushkar.

The petitioner said, "The order of appointing MLAs either by the present government or by the earlier government, as chairperson of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti is wholly illegal.”

According to the officials, Rogi Kalyan Samitis were set up by the Sheila Dikshit government in 2009 and that former Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had announced that members of parliament or members of legislative assembly will be the chairpersons of the committees in 2014.

In the recent times, AAP has faced several setbacks, including the arrest of its members Somnath Bharti and Amanatullah Khan.