Parliament secy: EC to hear only 1st plea

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Friday, in its ruling on objections raised to additional allegations made in the second petition seeking disqualification of 21 AAP MLAs for holding office of profit as

parliamentary secretaries

, ordered that only the issues raised in the original plea sent by petitioner Prashant Patel to the President be heard.

The EC has accordingly fixed September 23 as the next date for hearing the main question referred to it by the President - whether the 21 MLAs were holding office of profit, and therefore face disqualification.

Incidentally, when TOI pointedly asked EC officials if the fresh date of hearing meant that disqualification case against the 21 AAP MLAs would continue despite Delhi High Court recently quashing their appointment as parliamentary secretaries, an EC official replied: "Yes, the case proceedings continue as of now".