President Ram Nath Kovind stamped his approval on the proposal of the Election Commission of India to disqualify 20 sitting MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which rules the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

The disqualification of the MLAs follows a recommendation by the Election Commission as they had been holding twin posts of power. It may be recalled that a year after the ‘Modi wave’ swept the BJP to power at the Centre (in 2014), the AAP coasted to unprecedented victory in NCT of Delhi in 2015 by winning 66 out of the 70 seats, thus beating both the Congress and the BJP (former ruling parties) out of sight.

Ever since their election in 2015, the 20 MLAs were also working as secretaries to Ministers in the Delhi Cabinet, a post which is referred to as ‘parliamentary secretary’. An existing law prevents MLAs and MPs from taking up any other assignments which pays them. The BJP and the Congress didn’t waste time and brought the issue to the Election Commission’s notice.

In an apparent effort to circumvent any action by the Election Commission, Delhi chief-minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is also the founder-president of the AAP, attempted to amend the law in this regard but the same didn’t meet with the Presidential consent. Later, the Election Commission recommended to the President to disqualify the 20 MLAs in question to which the latter has agreed.

Now that the 20 MLAs have been disqualified, by-polls are imminent in these 20 seats in Delhi. Political observers point out that though Kejriwal’s Govt. doesn’t face an immediate threat in the Assembly as it still enjoys a majority (of 46 seats), it would find it tough to put its across to the voters during the campaign prior to the by-polls.