Thaindian News

New Delhi, Aug 18 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Thursday reserved its order on a plea to disqualify Rajni Abbi as Delhi mayor on the ground that she held an office of profit at the time of filing nomination for election to the post.

The plea was filed by Shambhu Dayal Sharma, a Municipal Corporation of Delhi councillor from Budh Vihar ward.

Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw after hearing the arguments on behalf of both sides said: “The order is reserved.”

Sharma sought a direction to disqualify 49-year-old Abbi as mayor, contending that she had applied for the post April 13 without taking leave from the Delhi University, where she was employed as a law teacher.

The court, so far, has not issued notice to Abbi on the petition.

During the hearing, counsel for Sharma told the court that Abbi, who got elected as the mayor April 20, did not apprise the university about applying for the post in the civic agency.

“Abbi was a reader with the faculty of law at the Delhi University and was drawing salary and hence, she was gainfully employed at the time of applying for the post,” he said.

The court observed that she may have done some wrong to the Delhi University but here, “we are not dealing with that as the university is not before us”.

Earlier, Justice S. Muralidhar asked Sharma to modify his petition and insert a paragraph detailing the post of profit that the mayor was allegedly holding on the date of her election.

The petitioner said that holding the office of profit at the time of the election was unconstitutional.

“A person holding an office of profit and simultaneously functioning as a councillor and subsequently as a mayor has incurred disqualification as per the law laid down under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act,” said the petition.