Left tells EC to steer clear of Office of Profit controversy

New Delhi, June 1 (UNI) The Left parties today asked the Election Commission not to get " embroiled" in the ongoing controversy on Office of Profit in the wake of the President returning the Bill to Parliament and the NDA's urging it for urgent disposal of pending cases including that of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

"The EC should not draw itself in the controversy as Parliament is seized of the matter," CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat said adding that the poll panel was already been at the centre of controversy when it asked a Trinamool Congress member to furnish further material to substantiate his charges that several Left MPs were holding the office of profit.

Briefing newspersons after the conclusion of a two-hour meeting of the CPI(M), CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc to discuss the overall political situation in the country, the CPI(M) General Secretary said a delegation of the NDA, led by L K Advani and George Fernandes had met the EC yesterday for the purpose.

Close on the heels of President APJ Abdul Kalam returning the Bill on Office of profit to Parliament, the opposition NDA yesterday stirred a hornests' nest by asking the EC to process all pending cases of disqualification on the issue, including that of Ms Gandhi, expeditiously and send its opinions to the President on an urgent basis.

Mr Karat made it clear the Left had supported the 101th constitutional amendment to define the Office of Profit as there was ambiguity both in the Constitution and the law on the subject.

In response to a specific query, CPI leaders A B Bardhan and D Raja said, they did not favour the preponing of the Monsoon session of Parliament." Let it be discussed on the floor of the House in its normal course." To another related question on how they would deal with the situation if the EC chose to process the pending cases much before the monsoon session, the Left leaders evaded a reply." We will cross the bridge when it comes.' On the President's seeking clarification pertaining to the Bill passed with retrospective effect from April 4,1959, they said" it is not unprecedented. Already several courts have held that the Parliament is supreme in this regard. It can pass such laws." They had supported the Bill, called 'The Parliament( Prevention of disqualification) Amendment Bill,' seeking to protect as many as 46 offices of profit from disqualification.

On the President's seeking clarifications, Mr Karat quipped," he is exercising his judgment." UNI KSA RP VV1739