Bill that saves Govt passed in Delhi Assembly

New Delhi, May 18 (UNI) The Delhi Assembly passed an amendment bill today to remove posts in 14 non-legislative bodies from the law on disqualification of MLAs holding office of profit, thereby protecting the Congress Government led by Sheila Dikshit from being reduced to a minority.

The Delhi Members of Legislative Assembly (Removal of Disqualification) (Amendment) Bill, 2006 -- to come into effect from September 9, 1997 -- was passed by voice vote after nearly three hours of debate in a one-day session called specially to pass it.

It substituted a new section for section 3 of Delhi Members of Legislative Assembly (Removal of Disqualification) Act, 1997, and amended the Schedule to the Act to give effect to the law.

The Opposition BJP opposed the Bill, saying it made a mockery of the Constitution, was being introduced in hurry just to protect the Government and challenged the 19 Congress MLA who had received notices from the Election Commission on the office of profit issue to follow the example of their leader Sonia Gandhi and quit their posts.

Replying to the debate, the Chief Minister accused the opposition of double standards, saying BJP Governments in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand had passed similar laws. She said her Government had every right to protect itself and that the step was Constitutionally sound and was modelled on the bill passed by Parliament.

Amendments suggested by three members -- all in favour of the bill -- could not be accepted as the Bill had been vetted by the Law and Home Ministries, she said, promising to take up their suggestions ''at a later date''.

Offices of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Trans Yamuna Area Development Board and the Delhi Rural Development Board, the Parliamentary Secretary to the CM, the Chairman of nine District Development Committees, Chairperson of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes Welfare Board, Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and members of the Fire Prevention Advisory Committee, the Hospital Advisory Committee and Governing Body of Government-sponsored college, Chairman and member of cooperative institution and Chairman, Director or member of statutory or non-statutory body or Committee or corporation or society constituted by the Government would be outside the purview of office of profit as per the Bill.

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