Chandigarh, November 30, 2025 (Bharat Khabarnama Bureau) – The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Saturday questioned the inordinate delay in adjudicating a representation seeking the disqualification of Banga MLA, Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi, who orchestrated his defection from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in August 2024.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry issued a sharp reprimand, directing the Punjab government’s counsel to procure explicit instructions from the state Vidhan Sabha. The court demanded a definitive timeline for deciding the disqualification petition, originally filed by petitioner-lawyer H.C. Arora.
The bench took cognizance of Arora’s compelling submissions, which invoked a Supreme Court judgment mandating that disqualification matters concerning Members of the Legislative Assembly must be resolved within a strict three-month framework.
Countering the court’s concerns, the state counsel contended that the Speaker had scheduled a hearing for December 9. He attributed the delay to supplementary documents submitted by Arora in July, which required circulation to the MLA for his formal response.
However, the HC bench delivered a piercing observation, noting that Arora’s petition for disqualification was lodged on September 4, 2024. Astonishingly, only a solitary hearing was convened by the Speaker on July 29, 2025. The court underscored that even from this lone hearing date, a period exceeding three months has subsequently elapsed. Confronted with this judicial scrutiny, the state counsel sought a brief adjournment to ascertain a concrete deadline from the Speaker.
The court was presiding over an application within a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) initiated by Arora, seeking Sukhi’s disqualification from the Punjab legislative assembly over his alleged defection. After his initial September 2024 representation to the Speaker languished, Arora approached the high court in January, protesting the Speaker’s inaction.
That PIL was disposed of with hopeful observations for an expeditious process. Unfulfilled, Arora filed a fresh application in July, alleging continued neglect. This too was disposed of in August after the state assured the court that proceedings had been initiated. With the matter still unresolved, Arora moved the high court once more on November 17, compelling judicial intervention. The next hearing on the PIL is now slated for December 11.
