Beleaguered and disqualified BJP MLA from Pawai seat Prahlad Lodhi along with delegation of party leaders reached Assembly Secretariat and handed over letter to Assembly’s Principal Secretary A P Singh, requesting to reinstate his membership on Friday.

Lodhi presented the stay order of High Court to Assembly’s Principal Secretary Singh and requested to cancel the disqualification process initiated against him. He also requested to restore his Assembly membership. He was accompanied by State BJP Vice President Vijesh Lunawat, S S Uppal, Vikas Bondriya and others. BJP delegation requested Assembly’s Principal Secretary A P Singh that High Court has stayed the sentence given to Prahalad Lodhi. Hence, principle of Apex Court comes into force that after stay of appeal court on sentence, disqualification under Public Representation Act 1951, becomes ineffective. In the light of this principle, Prahalad Lodhi will continue to enjoy the status of MLA. Henceforth, the order issued to disqualify the Assembly membership of Prahalad Lodhi should be cancelled.

BJP delegation also reached the office of Chief Electoral Officer and handed over the High Court order copy and an information letter. In the letter, BJP stated that on the basis of High Court’s stay on sentence, Prahalad Lodhi could not be disqualified from Assembly’s membership. Hence, Chief Electoral Officer should take cognizance in this regard. Notably, in an old case related, Special Court of Bhopal recently handed over two years sentence to Prahalad Lodhi. In the wake of Special Court order and ruling of Apex Court in such cases, Assembly Speaker N P Prajapati disqualified the Assembly membership of Prahalad Lodhi and declared Pawai assembly seat as vacant. Lodhi went into appeal in High Court which granted relief to him by giving stay on sentence till next hearing.