Ordinance on ''office of profit'' likely to be finalised tomorrow

New Delhi, Mar 22 (UNI) The Union Cabinet is likely to finalise the draft Ordinance which the government may issue to make an amendment in the Parliament Disqualification Act in order to re-define ''office of profit'' at its meeting here tomorrow morning.

This follows 44 petitions against MPs holding ''office of profit'' demanding their disqualification from the Parliament membership on the pattern of Rajya Sabha member Jaya Bachchan.

The petition includes one against Congress president Sonia Gandhi, challenging her membership of the Lok Sabha on the ground that she holds an ''office of profit'' as the chairperson of the National Advisory Council. Another petition relates to Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on the plea that he also holds an ''office of profit''.

The Opposition had today stalled the proceedings of both the Houses of Parliament stating that the government wanted to issue an Ordinance to save Ms Gandhi from disqualification of Lok Sabha membership.

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