Chakma absolved by Election Commission

Aizawl, Jul 7: The Election Commission (EC) has absolved former MLA Rashik Mohan Chakma of violation of the Office of Profit clause.

The Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee, which had accused Chakma in its petition against 12 Mizo National Front (MNF) legislators to the EC on office of profit violation grounds, today confirmed that Chakma had been absolved of the violation accusations by the Commission on the ground that his case was not under their purview.

Congress advocate Lalrinawma today said Chakma had been announced outside the purview of the Election Commission's jurisdiction as he held the post of chief exective member of Chakma Autonomous District Council before he was elected as MLA of Chawngte constituency.

''The Commission has informed us that only those MLAs and MPs who hold other offices after being elected are under their purview. The commission told us that since Chakma was already a CEM when he was elected as a state legislator, he was outside the commission's purview,'' Lalrinawma said.

Accusing six MNF MLAs who had been instructed to explain themselves in the profit of office accusations of lying, Lalrinawma said these legislators had told the people that they had met the deadline of June 15 to submit their explanations while it was only on July 1 that they had put in their signatures .

Speaker Lalchamliana, ministers R. Lalthangliana and Lalzama are all lecturers who availed leave to take up politics, he said adding that even if University Grants Commission rules allowed these people to join politics, they are still barred by the rules governing elected representatives of people.

However, if Chakma is to be a case in point, the three lecturers may also be outside the purview of the Election Commission since they did not become lecturers after being elected.

UNI