Office of profit row
The Tribune
CHANDIGARH, MAY 9: Though political circles in Punjab are confident that 34 Congress MLAs, facing disqualification for having allegedly held an "office of profit", will be saved by a state legislation framed in 1952, but these MLAs are keeping their fingers crossed.
The outcome of a petition that is pending before the Election Commission of India, is expected to decide their political fortunes.
The Supreme Court, pointed out senior functionaries of the government, has upheld the 1952 legislation in at least seven separate cases in the past.
Yesterday's Supreme Court dismissal of a petition, filed by actress-turned-politician Jaya Bachchan challenging her disqualification as Rajya Sabha MP, has created a bit of anxiety among the political circles. ...
... Legal expert Satya Pal Jain of the BJP, who is contesting a similar case against Congress legislators in Himachal Pradesh, says: "If the salary of a Chairman of a corporation is more than an MLA's prescribed salary, then the MLA has to be disqualified even if he has not drawn the salary from the corporation". This will be deemed to be an office of profit as per the Supreme Court decision yesterday, Mr Jain added....
