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Office-of-Profit Bill passed in Rajya Sabha

     New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha today passed the Office- of-Profit bill that exempts 56 posts including the post of chairperson of the National Advisory Council (NAC) from being considered offices of profit. The Bill aiming at amending the Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1959 was passed by the Rajya Sabha with 109 members voting in favour and three against. Union Law Minister H R Bhardwaj, in reply to the debate on the bill, said that the legislation was aimed at bringing "public good and saving public money and public inconvenience". He said it was improper on the part of the Opposition to suggest that he had brought the bill to save ministership. Having sailing smoothly through both the houses of the Parliament, the bill would now be sent to the President for his consent. Supported by other NDA constituents, BJP staged a walk out of the House, today also. BJP has been opposing the existence of the office of NAC since it considers that it leads to the creation of a 'super Prime Minister post'. An official amendment to the bill exempting ten more posts from the office of profit definition, including chiefs of Dalit Sena and Bahujan Samaj Foundation held by Union Minister Ramvilas Paswan and Mayawati respectively, was accepted by Lok Sabha yesterday before it was passed. The Left parties along with Samajwadi party have given their consent to the Bill. Article 102 (1) (a) of the Constitution explicitly disqualifies a person from membership of Parliament "if he holds any office of profit under the Government of India or the Government of the state".