BJP steps up offensive against Sheila

New Delhi, May 31 (UNI) Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit enjoys no moral authority to continue in office since the Bill passed to protect Congress MLAs holding dual posts stands discredited with the President refusing to clear the office of profit law, the state unit of the BJP said today.

''The Lt Governor should recommend dismissal of the Chief Minister since her government would now be reduced to a minority and she has lost the moral authority to govern after the President returned the Parliament (Disqualification of Members) Amendment Bill,'' Delhi BJP President Harsh Vardhan said.

The President's decision had put a question mark not just on the working of the Central Government, but also on that of Delhi Government which passed the Delhi Members of Legislative Assembly (Removal of Disqualification) (Amendment) Bill, 2006 at a special one-day session of the Assembly on May 18, leader of the Opposition Jagdish Mukhi said.

The Bill sought removal of posts in 14 non-legislative bodies from the law on disqualification of MLAs holding office of profit, thereby protecting the Congress Government from being reduced to a minority, he pointed out.

The amended Act was to come into effect from September 9, 1997.

The Bill was passed a few days after 19 Congress MLA received notices from the Election Commission on the office of profit issue.

The notices, issued through Commission Secretary K F Wilfred on a petition by BJP MLA Vijay Jolly, asked the MLAs to answer the allegation that they were fit for disqualification under Section 146 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

The amendment sought to bring the 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 9 District Development Committees and Chairperson of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes Welfare Board out of the ambit of the law on disqualification of legislators holding office of profit.

Mr Harsh Vardhan also demanded that the Election Commission immediately disqualify the legislators who hold offices of profit.

''When the President has returned the Bill passed by Parliament then it is clear that he will also return the Prevention of Disqualification Bill passed by Delhi Assembly,'' he said.

The BJP says 26 Congress MLAs of Delhi face disqualification for holding offices of profit.

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