21 AAP MLAs likely to be disqualified over dual office of profit issue: Reports

Twenty-one Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators are likely to be disqualified from the Delhi Assembly over the issue of dual office of profit. President Mukherjee has also reportedly scrapped the Kejriwal government's Dual Office Bill which was passed by the government to shield its MLAs.

The decision would mean re-elections within six months in all the 21 constituencies of the disqualified MLAs.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) had sought reply from 21 AAP MLAs, who were appointed Parliamentary secretaries by the Delhi government on 14 March 2015.

According to an India Today report, a BJP activist had filed a complaint with the President of India, asking for the disqualification of the 21 Parliamentary secretaries, who also hold Assembly seats, on the grounds that they were holding dual offices of profit.

The AAP has 67 MLAs in the 70-member Delhi Assembly and rest of the three seats are held by BJP members. The disqualification of 21 MLAs will lose their Assembly membership but there will be no threat to the Kejriwal-led government. A party needs 36 seats to claim majority in the Delhi Assembly.