MLAs facing disqualification get week to respond

Chandigarh, Dec 8 (UNI) The Chief Election Commission today gave one week more to 37 Congress MLAs of Punjab to respond to the disqualification plea filed against them by the opposition BJP, alleging that they were holding office of profit.

Secretary of the Election Commission Dr K F Wilfred, however, said no further time would be granted to them if they failed to file their reply in a week.

Mr R P Dhir, who appeared before the Commission at New Delhi on the behalf of the petitioner, Prashant Arora, Organising Secretary of Punjab and Chandigarh BJP, had contended that no further time should be given to the respondents keeping in view the assembly polls scheduled to be held in Punjab early next year.

He also claimed that the respondents were deliberately delaying the filing of reply.

Mr Dhir said after the filing of the reply, a rejoinder will be filed and arguments were likely to take place in the first week of January, 2007.

Mr Arora's petition to the Governor of Punjab, along with two other petitions, was referred to the Election Commission under article 192 (1).

UNI XC JN MSJ DB1840