Delhi HC seeks Speaker's response on jailing two visitors

New Delhi, July 11 :  The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought response from the Delhi assembly Speaker and the city government on a plea by two men who were sent to jail for 30 days for throwing pamphlets and raising slogans in the house.

A division bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Najmi Waziri in a notice to Speaker Ram Niwas Goel and the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government asked for their response within three days and posted the matter for July 17.

The bench also issued a warrant asking authorities to present both the men before the court on the next date of hearing.

"Let the warrant for production be issued to petitioners to secure their presence before the court on the next date of hearing," said the bench.

During the hearing, the petitioners' advocate told the court that his clients were entitled for bail during the pendency of the plea. However, the bench said that to secure bail "you have to prove that detention is illegal".

In June, the assembly witnessed drama after two visitors hurled pamphlets and raised slogans, demanding resignation of Health Minister Satyendar Jain.

AAP legislator Saurabh Bharadwaj then moved a motion against the duo - Jagdeep Rana and Ranjan Kumar. Consequently, Speaker Goel sentenced the two to one month of rigorous imprisonment for breach of privilege of the house.

Challenging the Speaker's June 28 decision, the duo alleged that the order was "illegal" as it was issued without affording them an opportunity of being heard.

Seeking their release, the plea said: "The petitioners had no intention to breach the privilege of the legislative assembly or to commit contempt of the same." 

It said they had no intention to cause any damage to person or property inside the assembly on that day. 

"The intention of the petitioners was only to draw the attention of the government and the party to the glaring issues, which were being exploited by the opposition in defaming the party.