BJP MLA had committed ‘unruly’ act in the past too: AAP to HC

New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) Delhi government today alleged inthe High Court that BJP MLA O P Sharma, who was suspended fromthe Assembly for two sessions for allegedly making derogatoryremarks against AAP legislator Alka Lamba, has been engaged in"immoral, violent and appalling behaviour" in the past too. The Delhi government made the allegation before JusticeSanjeev Sachdeva while opposing the maintainability ofSharma’s plea challenging his suspension. "This is not the first instance of unruly and unethicalconduct on the part of the petitioner (Sharma). He has beenrepeatedly engaged in immoral, violent and appalling behaviourin the past. In one such instance, he was penalised by theHouse on the basis of recommendations of the Ethics Committeefor causing damage to the microphones in the House. "An amount of Rs 18,560 was recovered from him towardsthe cost of the microphone on a motion moved in the Assemblyunder Rule 107 and adopted on December 3, 2015. He was alsowarned against resorting to such misconduct in future," theDelhi government said in its reply filed through advocatePeeyoosh Kalra. The AAP government’s response came in the backdrop of acourt notice issued to it in June this year after the partiesfailed to settle the matter amicably. Denying the charge, Sharma’s counsel said the decision ofthe Delhi assembly to suspend him was "patently illegal" as itinfringed upon his freedom of speech privilege. His counsel also said the Delhi government has no rightto represent Delhi Legislative Assembly. The counsel contendedthat the assembly cannot be "immune" from being made a party. The Delhi government counsel on the other hand said theDelhi Assembly should not have been made a party in thematter and it should have been the Delhi government instead. Observing that the assembly was not issued notice as perthe last order, the court issued notice to it and listed thematter for hearing on August 22. The direction came while hearing of the petition filed bySharma, who was present in the courtroom today, against hissuspension from the House on March 31 for the next twosessions. The court did not pass any interim order on Sharma’ssubmission that his plea be decided as the House will assembleagain for six days from August 22. (More) PTI PPS HMPARC