Sikkim Congress demands disqualification of 15 MLAs

Gangtok, Mar 24: The Sikkim Congress today demanded the disqualification of 15 MLAs for holding office of profit, violating the Act 191(a) of the Constitution.

The demand came soon after the resignation of party president Sonia Gandhi from Parliament as well as from the post of Chairperson of National Advisory Board yesterday.

Sikkim Pradesh Congress Commitee (SPCC) president Narbahadur Bhandari told newspersons here that the 15 MLAs were holding posts of Chairman and Chairpersons of various government and semi-government organisations in violation of the law and demanded the State Governor to disqualify them.

Mr Bhandari also alleged that the Sikkim Government had extended facilities and status of Cabinet Ministers to 26 people, including seven MLAs in violation of the Act though as per the Act of Parliament the State Government was mandated to have not more than 12 Cabinet Ministers .

The SPCC chief demanded the Governor to take action as per the provisions of the Constitution and dissolve the Assembly for the violations of the Constitutional provisions by the Pawan Chamling government.

The Congress leader also demanded the Governor to impose the President's Rule for not adhereing to the provisions of law and to initiate legal action against the culprits.

Mr Bhandari threatened that his party would take up the matter with the President if the Governor did not take any action in this regard. The senior Congress leader identified the MLAs holding an office of profit as Mr Ram Bahadur Subba (Chairman State Trading Corporation), Mr T T Bhutia (Chairman Power Advisory Board), Mr N K Subba (Chairman Denzong Agriculture Cooperative Society), Mr N K Pradhan ( Chairman State Bank of Sikkim), Mr B M Ramudamu( Chairman Sikkim Distilleries), Mr S G Lepcha (Chairman Indsustries Trade and Development Board) and Mr K B Chamling, Chief whip (all given status of Cabinet Ministers).

Others, who also held the office of profit, included Mr Kunga Zangpo Bhutia (Chairman Sikkim Nationalised Yransport), Mr Deeoak Gurung (Chairman, Sikkim Time Corporation), Ms Nimthi Lepcha (Chairperson Simfed), Mr B P Dhungel (Chairman, Floriculture/Horticulture Board), Ms Manita Thapa (Chairperson, Tourism Development Board), Mr C B Karki (Chairman, Sikkim SC ST and OBC Development Corporation), Mr Norzang Lepcha (Chairman, Khadi and Village Industries Board) and Mr Dawcho Lepcha (Chairman SIDICO).

Later, an eight-member delegation of the Congress, led by Mr Bhandari called on the Governor and submitted a memorandum demanding a Constitutional action.

UNI