Ex Delhi Minister Raaj Anand Disqualified From Membership Of Delhi Assembly

Former Delhi minister Raaj Kumar Anand has been disqualified from the membership of the assembly, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel said on Friday.

Mr Anand had resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the post of minister in the Delhi government in April to join the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

"He was given the date of June 10 for replying to the notice served to him under the anti-defection law but he did not reply. In the same notice, he was asked to be present physically on June 11 but he did not appear. He was given another chance to be physically present on June 14 but he did not come. His membership from the Delhi assembly has been terminated," Mr Goel told news agency PTI.

Mr Anand was served the notice by the assembly on May 31 under the anti-defection law and asked to file his reply by 5 pm on June 10.

Calls and messages to Mr Anand went unanswered. He had earlier told PTI that he will seek legal opinion in the matter.

The anti-defection law under the tenth schedule of the Constitution deals with situations of defection in Parliament or state legislatures by members of a political party, independent members, and nominated members and lays the grounds for disqualification of a member.

Mr Anand was elected from the Patel Nagar reserved assembly constituency in the 2020 election. He quit the AAP, levelling allegations of corruption and neglect of Dalit leaders and volunteers in the organisational appointments in the party.

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