High Court asks Alka Lamba and O P Sharma to appear tomorrow to resolve issue

NEW DELHI: AAP MLA Alka Lamba and BJP MLA O P Sharma, who was suspended from Delhi Legislative Assembly for next two sessions for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the former, were today asked by Delhi High Court to appear tomorrow "with an open mind" to resolve the issue.

Justice Manmohan Singh asked them to come tomorrow morning, saying "I will talk to them and finish the issue."

The court's direction came while hearing a petition filed by Sharma, who was present in the courtroom today, against his suspension from the House on March 31 for next two sessions. A two-day special session of Delhi Legislative Assembly would commence tomorrow.

During the hearing, senior advocate Sudhir Nandrajog, who appeared for Delhi government, claimed before the court that Sharma has not "regretted" on what he had said about Lamba.

Referring to a report of the Ethics Committee of the Delhi Assembly on the issue, he said that Sharma was given chances to express regret on his remarks but he had refused.

"Sharma had no remorse on what he had said. He had said that his intention was not wrong. The Ethics Committee was left with no option. There was discussion on his expulsion from the House as well. The Leader of Opposition of the House had also made efforts to make him regret on this but Sharma refused," he said.

To this, the court asked whether there was any chance of resolving the issue.

In his response, Nandrajog said, "Yes. If he regrets, there is a chance."

"If government is ready, you should resolve it," the court said.

Senior advocate Aman Lekhi, who represented Sharma, said they were not on the procedural aspect but substantial lapses were committed while suspending the BJP MLA for two sessions.

Lekhi said in case the issue was not resolved tomorrow between his client and the AAP MLA, his submissions on the petition should be heard.

"But come with an open mind. I just want that these things should not happen. I fail to understand that when people have so much freedom then why these things are happening," the court said.

The Ethics Committee had earlier "unanimously" recommended stripping Sharma of his membership for his remarks against Lamba and being "unrepentant" about it.

Sharma had earlier said "my intention was not to hurt Lamba as she is like my sister, but if she felt offended I express regret over it".