BANGALORE: The special session of the legislature to adopt a Bill for the exclusion of various offices, including those of panchayat heads, from purview of the office-of-profit clause begins on Monday.

The two-day session of the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council will take up an amendment to the Karnataka Legislature (Prevention of Disqualification Act) 1956.

Transport Minister N. Cheluvaraya Swamy told presspersons after a meeting of the Cabinet that the amendment would not have a clause providing for retrospective effect (President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam returned the Central Bill to Parliament because of such a clause).

"This will be an amendment independent of the one brought in by Parliament, and we will confine ourselves to defining the posts. This will ensure there is no disqualification of any MLA or MLC from membership of the Houses," he said. Last week, the State Cabinet decided to convene the two-day special session of the legislature, and approved the draft of the Bill. Karnataka has decided to exclude from the office-of-profit clause the posts of Deputy Minister, Parliamentary Secretaries, Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Leaders of Opposition in the legislature, president, vice-presidents of panchayats, heads of all committees, boards, corporation, and standing committees in local bodies and members.

The Karnataka Legislature (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1956 has declared that legislators would not be disqualified for holding certain posts — the office of a deputy Minister, parliamentary secretary, Leaders of Opposition or Government Chief Whips, the offices held in National Cadet Corps raised and maintained under the National Cadet Corps Act, 1948, and also in the Territorial Army, the Auxiliary Air Force and Air Defence Reserve, member of the Home Guards, and Village Defence Party. The offices of secretaries of District Development Boards and zilla panchayat presidents and vice-presidents are exempt from disqualification under the Act. The posts sought to be excluded from the definition of office of profit will enter the list for the first time.

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