Jharkhand Disqualification Bill passed

      Ranchi: The Jharkhand Assembly on Friday passed the Jharkhand Legislature (Removal of Disqualification) Bill 2006. Under the new Bill, the posts held by legislators in boards, corporations and other such offices will not be counted under the category of office of profit. A total of 22 posts have been included in the list, which will prevent the disqualification of any legislator. The Bill was introduced in the light of the opposition demand to disqualify four NDA legislators who also hold offices of profit.

    The Bill assumes significance in the wake of the sensational resignation of Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday as Lok Sabha MP from Rae Bareli and as chairperson of National Advisory Council (NAC) on the very same grounds. When the Bill was introduced, opposition members trooped into the well of the house and upturned chairs. They also started shouting slogans against the government. Amidst the chaos, the Bill and the budget were passed through voice vote and the Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari adjourned the House indefinitely. The session was scheduled to end on March 29. The opposition had earlier met Governor Syed Sibte Razi and demanded the disqualification of four legislators. After the Bill was passed, the opposition leaders held an emergency meeting. They decided to meet the Governor Syed Sibte Razi again with a request to direct Chief Minister Arjun Munda to resign as he is also holding an office of profit "If the legislators of NDA had been disqualified, the government would have fallen. The bill has been passed to protect the government which is in minority, "State Congress party sources said. Charges are levelled against four NDA MLAs - Karia Munda, Chhatruram Mahto, Saryu Roy and Khiru Mahto for holding offices of profit which amounts to violation of the Article 191 (i) (a) of the Constitution. While Karia Munda heads the 20-point programme implementation committee, Chhatruram Mahto is heading the State Agriculture Marketing Board. Saryu Roy holds the post of vice-chairman of the State Planning Board and Khiru Mahto heads the Mines Board. UPA state unit convenor and MLA Stephen Marandi claimed that Chatruram Mahto, who represents Gomina constituency, has been holding the post of chairman of the State Agriculture Marketing Board when he contested the polls last year.

     Contradicting the claims of the UPA, Saryu Roy said that Union Coal Minister Shibu Soren, leader of the Opposition Sudhir Mahto and Stephen Marandi, all hold some post in government-aided private colleges. Article 191 says that a person shall be disqualified as a member of Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council of the state if he holds any office of profit under the Union or state government as specified in the first schedule, other than an office exempted by the Legislature. Chief Minister Arjun Munda, however, asserted all four, three belonging to BJP and one of JD (U) were protected by a 1950 Act enacted when Bihar was undivided.

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