The Hindu : National : Rajya Sabha nod for office of profit Bill

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Friday, Jul 28, 2006

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National

Rajya Sabha nod for office of profit Bill

Special Correspondent

Government ready to set up committee, says Law Minister Bhardwaj

NEW DELHI : The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed the Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Amendment Bill, 2006 which was returned by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on May 25 for reconsideration.

The Bill, popularly known as the Office of Profit Bill, was passed with 98 members voting in its favour and 49 against. The debate on the Bill was taken up in the post-lunch session after repeated adjournments and vociferous protests by the Opposition members who wanted to resume discussion on the rising incidents of terrorism in the wake of July 11 Mumbai blasts.

Replying to a near four-hour debate on the Bill, Law Minister Hans Raj Bhardwaj described the suggestions given by the President in his message as "noble" and vowed the Government's readiness to set up a Parliamentary committee to look into various aspects, including an unambiguous definition of the `office of profit.'

Dismissing the Opposition's argument that the Government had not shown any respect and reverence to the points raised by the President, he said the House was beholden to the President for his message and there could not be any partisan attitude on the issues of probity and integrity. He said that public gaze and media criticism were welcome but the powers of the Cabinet and Parliament could not be bypassed.

"Let us pass this Bill again and we are ready to constitute a committee to look into various aspects, including ethical ones and interpret them," he said.

Mr. Bhardwaj said that questions relating to "tainted ministers", disqualification, definition of office of profit and an exhaustive list were some of that could be examined by the committee, a suggestion given by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) member Sitaram Yechury.

Earlier, Arun Jaitley (BJP) accused the Government of overruling the highest Constitutional authority and trying to rush through the Bill before July 31, which, he said, was the last day of the Election Commission's deadline to reply to its queries on the matter.

Describing the Government's move as "constitutionally, morally, politically and ethically wrong," Mr. Jaitley also criticised the Left parties for supporting the legislation to save their MPs.

Criteria questioned

He said the basis of Article 102 of the Constitution was on the premise of the separation of powers of the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary. He questioned the criteria of deciding upon the exemption of certain offices and said there was no uniformity in it, as pointed out by the President.

Mr. Yechury favoured setting up of a committee to clear ambiguities and define the office of profit.

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