NEW DELHI: A sense of panic appears to have gripped Congress legislators in Delhi with the Election Commission having put out a list of 19 MLAs against whom complaints had been received from President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam seeking their disqualification for holding offices of profit and benefiting from their appointments on various boards and corporations. The list also includes the sitting Member of Parliament from Outer Delhi, Sajjan Kumar.

Petition

The Bharatiya Janata Party legislator from Saket, Vijay Jolly, had submitted a 31-page petition to the President on March 28 pleading that under Article 191 (1) (a) of the Constitution these MLAs and one MP invite disqualification because of their appointments and for holding offices of profit under the Delhi Government.

He had alleged that in order to subvert the Constitutional provisions, the Delhi Government had set up a two-tier structure consisting of an apex committee at the Delhi Government level and nine District Development Committees (DDCs).

The nominated MLAs on such committees received salaries, allowances, government vehicles and incurred huge expenditure running into crores of rupees.

The MLAs were thrown into a tizzy soon after the Election Commission made official the list of MLAs and MPs of various States who were being investigated for holding offices of profit.

Interestingly, a large number of MLAs especially those from the DDCs had given up the use of their official vehicles soon after their names appeared but some continued to enjoy the official benefits. However, the Election Commission's action is causing concern among Congress legislators who now feel things could go from bad to worse. "The publication of the names of 19 MLAs and one MP by the Election Commission has turned the whole thing into a very serious affair. The Election Commission will give its decision on the issue very soon and a large number of MLAs could be found on the wrong side of the law. This is a serious matter and needs to be looked into without any further delay,'' said a senior MLA.

Prominent among the MLAs whose names find mention in the list for disqualification proceedings are the Chief Minister's Parliamentary Secretary Nasib Singh, Trans-Yamuna Development Board chairman Narendra Nath, vice-chairperson of Delhi Jal Board and chairperson of Central Zone District Development Committee Anjali Rai, Delhi Wakf Board chairman Mateen Ahmed, former Rural Development Board chairman and sitting MP Sajjan Kumar.

The nine DDC chairmen include Rajesh Jain, Brahmpal, Ashok Ahuja, Kanwar Karan Singh, Balram Singh Tanwar, Rajesh Lilothia, Vijay Lochav, Vir Singh Dhingan and Anjali Rai. "I am happy that things have moved on my complaint. No proper legal sanction exists for these posts and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit was using these positions to buy peace with the party MLAs,'' Mr. Jolly said reacting to the development.

Alternative

However, the Congress MLAs are clueless about what they should do in the present situation. There is no direction forthcoming from the party leadership and the only alternative is to wait for the proceedings to be completed or to step down like their leader Sonia Gandhi and claim a high moral ground.

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