The Delhi High Court on Friday issued a notice in response to a plea filed by former AAP MLA Kartar Singh Tanwar, who is challenging his disqualification from the Delhi Legislative Assembly. Justice Sanjeev Narula issued the notice and sought responses from both the Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly and Dilip Kumar Pandey. The next hearing is scheduled for December 9.
Senior advocate Jayant Mehta, along with Satya Ranjan Swain, represented Tanwar, who was disqualified by the Speaker on September 24, 2024. In his petition, Tanwar requested that the court set aside the disqualification order, arguing that the decision was made hastily and without giving him a fair opportunity to be heard. He also claimed that the order was vague and lacked proper explanation.
Tanwar, who had been serving his second term as an MLA representing the Chhatarpur constituency, contested the 2020 Delhi Assembly election as a candidate for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The petition details that, following a disqualification petition filed by Respondent Dilip Kumar Pandey, the Speaker issued a notice to Tanwar on August 7, 2024, directing him to respond to the petition by August 19.
Tanwar is alleged to have joined the BJP without resigning from AAP, a claim supported by media reports from July 2024. A personal hearing was initially scheduled for August 21, but it was later postponed. In his reply dated September 3, 2024, Tanwar denied the allegations as false and unfounded.
Subsequently, on September 17, 2024, Tanwar was issued another notice to appear before the Speaker on September 20. However, Tanwar requested an adjournment due to health issues, as he had been hospitalized for low blood pressure. Despite his request and submission of medical documents, the Speaker proceeded with the hearing and issued the disqualification order on September 24, 2024.
Tanwar argues that his medical condition prevented him from attending the hearing and that the Speaker failed to consider his request for a postponement. He is seeking to have the disqualification order revoked.