Jaya Bachchan disqualified from RS

New Delhi, Mar 18: Ms Jaya Bachchan has been disqualified as a member of the Rajya Sabha with President A P J Abdul Kalam
accepting the Election Commission's recommendation in this regard on the ground that she was holding an office of profit
as Chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh Film Development Council.

Dr Kalam signed a notification on Thursday(March 17, 2006) disqualifying Ms Bachchan, who was elected to the Upper House on a Samajwadi Party ticket in January 2004, the Law and Justice Ministry said.

The EC had recommended that Ms Bachchan be disqualified under sub-clause (a) of Clause 1 of Article 102 of the Constitution from July 14, 2004, the day she was appointed to the UP Film Development Council.

Ms Bachchan's continuance as an MP was questioned by Congress worker Madan Mohan Shukla, a resident of Kanpur, in a petition to
Dr Kalam who subsequently referred the matter to the EC for its advice.

"Having carefully considered the facts on record as contained in the opinion of the Election Commission and being fully satisfied therewith the President has disqualified Smt. Jaya Bachchan from her Rajya Sabha membership," a Law and Justice Ministry release said.

The Commission had conducted many hearings in which Ms Bachchan was represented by her lawyer. She had also made a representation
to the President to review the EC's recommendation.

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly had recently passed a Bill to remove certain positions, including the one held by Ms Bachchan from the category of offices of profit. However, state Governor T V Rajeswar has so far not given his assent to the Bill.

SP leader and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has blamed the Congress party, particularly its chief Sonia Gandhi, for being behind the petition against Ms Bachchan.

UNI