NEW DELHI: The Election Commission issued notice to nine Madhya Pradesh ministers and three MLAs, asking them to reply before June 28 to the Leader of Opposition Jamuna Devi's petition seeking their disqualification for holding offices of profit.

The ministers are Himmat Kothari, Babulal Gaur, Gopal Bhargav, Yashodhara Raje Scindia, Jagdish Deora, Ramakant Tiwari, Rustom Singh, Chaudhary Chandrabhan Singh, Vijay Shah and Tukoji Rao Panwar. The MLAs are Lakhman Singh Gour, Lal Singh Arya and Shivraj Shah.

Ms. Devi released the copies of the notice at a press conference here on Wednesday. She had submitted the petition to the Governor, who forwarded it to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Mr. Kalam then sent it to the Commission.

Ms. Devi said she had also petitioned the President demanding that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan be disqualified. For, when he was an MP he occupied the post of ex-officio chairman of Madhyam, a body registered under the Firms and Societies Act.

The Opposition leader said the Government was misusing funds allocated to the State under various schemes. She would bring the matter to the notice of the Prime Minister on Thursday. Ms. Devi would also call on Congress president Sonia Gandhi and apprise her of the political situation in the State.

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