New Delhi, June 13: 21 MLAs of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) face the risk of disqualification as President Pranab Mukherjee has withheld the ‘dual office of profit bill’ passed by the Delhi state government. The rejection of bill by the President has come as a huge blow for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Also Read - Farm Bills 2020: Haryana Home Minister Hits Out at Kejriwal, Asks Him What Provisions of Bills Benefit Corporates



The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government appointed 21 parliamentary secretaries, which include senior party leaders – Praveen Kumar, Sharad Kumar, Adarsh Shastri, Madan Lal, Charan Goel, Sarita Singh, Naresh Yadav, Jarnail Singh and Rajesh Gupta. This was objected by Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung who claimed that only one parliamentary secretary could be appointed by the AAP government. (ALSO READ: Narendra Modi will not make you Vice President of India: Arvind Kejriwal to Lt Governor Najeeb Jung)

“Office of parliamentary secretary is defined as an office of profit if one looks at the statutes of Delhi. According to GNCT Act, Delhi can have only one Parliamentary secretary attached to Chief Minister’s Office,” Jung said while speaking to a television news channel.

In order to avert the constitutional crisis, AAP government passed the dual office bill to legalize the appointment of 21 parliamentary secretaries. However, the bill had to be sent to President for approval.

According to sources within AAP, the Delhi government will move the Supreme Court to challenge the decision of the President.