UP assembly amends Act to save Jaya Bachchan's RS membership

Lucknow, Mar 9: Amid opposition protests, the Uttar Pradesh assembly today passed a bill to exempt heads of corporation, boards and councils from being categorised as ''offices of profit, seen last ditch effort to prevent disqualification of its Rajya Sabha member Jaya Bachchan and others.

The BJP-BSP members, opposing the UP State Legislature (Prevention of Disqualification) Act 1971 (Amendment) Bill, alleged it was an effort to save the disqualification of some Parliament and assembly members and termed the bill '' anti-constitutional and undemocratic.'' They also strongly protested the implementation of the bills from retrospective effect from January 1, 2003.

However, the treasury bench was in hurry to pass the bill in the house, which was also questioned by the oppostion. No Congress member was present in the house.

Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, explaining to the members, the reason behind bringing this amendment, said it was found that politicians were more sincere than bureaucrats and denied it had violated any norms. ''I have always protested any evil in the democratic set-up and even campigned for open ballot in the Rajya Sabha polls.'' Other prominent politicians who are likely to get reprive from disqualification after the amendment in the Act included Amar Singh (Chairman, UP Development Council) Shivpal Singh Yadav (Chairman, Mandi Parishad) Anuradha Choudhury (Chairperson, UP irrigation and Flood Control Commission) and Azam Khan (Chairman, UP Jal Nigam).

Later, Leader of the Opposition Lalji Tandon said the government would be required to amend all the Acts of different boards, corporations and councils after the amendment in the 1971 Act.

Congress legislature party leader Pramod Tiwari said that although his party was not opposed to the bill, it would certainly protest against implementation of the amendment from 2003.

The bill, after approval of the state legislature, would require the assent of Governor T V Rajeshwar, before being implemented with retrospective effect from January 1, 2003.

With the bill, the charges against Ms Bachchan for holding a post of profit as chairperson of UP Film Development Council, would fall flat.

The Election Commission had already sought the President's view on disqualification of the membership of the cine star from the RS for holding the post of UP Film Development Council, termed as a office of profit.

EC had already been petitioned for disqualification of the membership of Amar Singh and Azam Khan for holding posts of profit.

After the amendment in the UP State Legislature (Prevention of Disqualification) Act 1971 it would now include all the 79 corporations, boards and council head under its perview.

Yesterday, state urban development minister and Jal Nigam chairman Azam Khan moved the amendment bill in the assembly amid noisy scenes created by BJP members.

The major amendment in the bill, was change of words from daily allowances to honorarium and adding 61 new corporations, boards and council in the list. Earlier, there were only 18 such boards, corporations and council of UP in the exemption list.

After the passage of the bill, all heads of 79 corporations, boards and councils would be exempted from disqualification as members of the state legislature or any other house.

Under the Act, notified on July 17, 1971, it was declared that certain offices of profit under the government shall not disqualify the holders of being chosen as or for being member of the house.

UNI