Days after a local court in Punjab sentenced Cabinet Minister Aman Arora to two years of rigorous imprisonment in a family dispute, Governor Banwarilal Purohit on January 5 sought a detailed report on the issue from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
A Sangrur court had sentenced Mr. Arora to two years’ rigorous imprisonment in a physical assault case registered by his brother-in-law Rajinder Deepa in the year 2008.
Mr. Purohit wrote a letter to the Chief Minister citing a Supreme Court judgement regarding an MLA’s membership being divested if convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for a term of over two years by a trial court. Mr. Purohit cited the matter as a “serious” one involving non-compliance of directions given by the apex court.
Referring to a representation received regarding the conviction of the Minister in a criminal case, the Governor pointed out that on December 21, 2023, a court of law convicted Mr. Arora for two years, and that the conviction has not yet been stayed by a competent higher court.
“As per the judgement of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in the case of Lily Thomas vs. Union of India, Members of Legislative Assembly stand divested of their membership if convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for a term not less than two years by a trial court,” he wrote, adding that the representation has also raised questions on the National Flag being hoisting by Mr. Arora on January 26 this year.
In light of these observations, the Governor has sought a detailed report on the entire issue.
On January 4, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) demanded the immediate unseating of Mr. Arora as a legislator following his conviction. SAD leader Arshdeep Singh Kler stated that the Supreme Court judgement in the Lily Thomas case had made it clear that any elected representative, once convicted, ceased to remain a legislator with immediate effect.
