Gangtok: The Sikkim Assembly passed a Bill on Saturday giving immunity to its legislators from disqualification for holding offices of profit on the concluding day of a two-day special session.

The Bill amends the Sikkim Legislative Assembly Members (Removal of Disqualification) Act of 1978 to widen its scope and adds a few more offices to the ones enumerated in it.

The Assembly session was convened after the Opposition Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP) last month accused 17 MLAs of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) of holding offices of profit.

An amendment in the Act was on top of the Sikkim Government's agenda for the session to protect the MLAs from disqualification.

Not unconstitutional

Earlier, when the Bill was taken up for discussion in the House, Opposition member Acharya Tsering Lama of the Congress opposed it, calling it unconstitutional and designed by the State Government to hand out largesse to MLAs in the form of offices of profit.

In reply to his objections, Law Minister R.B. Subba said Articles 246 and 191 of the Constitution empowered the legislature to make laws and there was nothing unconstitutional about the Bill.

The Assembly passed another Bill called the Legislators Appointment to Different Authorities Bill 2006 despite opposition from Mr. Lama, who said it would shield MLAs facing office of profit charges and to cover up illegal appointments made by the State Government.

Chamling defends

Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling defended the Bill, saying it was perfectly constitutional and that Mr. Lama's charges were baseless.

Other Bills passed

Other Bills passed by the House on the day were the State Public Services Bill, the Public Demands Recovery Bill and the Sikkim Disaster Management Bill.

The House also unanimously passed the Government's first supplementary demands for grants totalling Rs. 129.77 crore for the current fiscal.

CAG report presented

The Comptroller and Auditor-General's report for the year ended March 31, 2005 was presented to the House. — PTI

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