Sikkim Cong urges Governor to return office of profit bill

Gangtok, Jun 13 (UNI) Opposition Congress has alleged that two bills passed by the Sikkim assembly were to save the ruling MLAs from disqualification for holidng of offices of profit and urged the Governor to return the bills.

The lone Congress MLA Acharya Tshering Lama told reporters here that a nine-member Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee delegation led by president Nar Bahadur Bhandari had called on Governor V Rama Rao on Sunday and submitted a five-page petition reaquesting him not to give his assent to the " controversial" bills.

The Sikkim Legislative Assembly Member (Removal of Disqualifications) Amendment bill, 2006 and the Sikkim State Legislators Appointment to Different Authorities Bill 2006 were passed by the state assembly in special session on June 10.

Another opposition BJP also criticised the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) government for passing those bills, aimed at to save ruling MLAs from possible disqualification for holidng offices of profit. SDF has 31 MLAs in the 32-member house.

The Congress alleged the bills were well planned for the sole purpose of defeating the petitions, pending before the Governor, demanding disqualification of 17 MLAs for holding office of profit.

The Congress in the petition had demanded the Governor for disqualification of the legislators, who inturn sought the opnion of the Election Commission.

The EC asked the MLAs to file their statement. The matter was pending before the Governor as the EC had not yet given its opinion.

The Congress alleged that the bills were ultravires of the constitutions as they would be applied retrospectively from November 3, 1977. Through this bill the government wanted to handout largese to the legislators in the office of profit violting the norms of the constition. The party also objected to the presence and participation of 17 MLAs in the voting and described them as illegal.

The party said the Sikkim State Legislators Appointment to Different Authorities Bill sought to validate all illegal appointments of legislators made to different authorities retrospectively from 21st May 2004.

Several of the members who are facing disqualifcation petitions are members, who have been appointed illegally without any authority of law from May 21,2004 onwards. The bill sought to protect them, the memorandum said and urged the Governor not to give his assent.

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