Jaya Bachchan will have to contest polls to re-enter Parliament

New Delhi, May 16 (UNI) Even though the Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Bill, 2006 has cleared the office of profit held by Samajwadi Party leader Jaya Bachchan, she would have to contest election to re-enter Parliament.

The Office of Chairperson of the UP Film Development Corporation, due to which Ms Bachchan was disqualified from being the Rajya Sabha member, has been included into the list of 56 posts which have been exempted under the bill from being declared Office of Profit, Information and Broadcasting Minsiter P R Dasmunsi told reporters here today.

''This would have resulted in revival of her membership of the Rajya Sabha. However, since Ms Bachchan had approached the Supreme Court and there is the court order in the matter, she would have to contest elections again to become MP,'' he clarified.

All the other MPs about whom the complaint had been referred to the Election Commission by President A P J Abdul Kalam would now retain their seats after the bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha tomorrow.

Asked whether Congress President Sonia Gandhi would again become the National Advisory Council Chairperson after the bill declared the NAC as not being office of profit, Mr Dasmunsi said that he would not be able to say ''whether she will immediately take over or take some more time.'' ''The time is not ripe to answer this question,'' he said and added that who could now object to Ms Gandhi holding the NAC Chairperson's post now.

About NDA's opposition to the bill, the minister said it was done ''just notionally and verbally and not emphatically.'' UNI AJ RP HT1935