Cabinet okays amendment

A Bill to amend the Prevention of Disqualification of MPs Act, 1959 will be brought in Parliament.

Government on Tuesday night decided to amend the law to exempt more posts from being considered an office of profit.

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A Bill to amend the Prevention of Disqualification of MPs Act, 1959 will be brought in this session of Parliament.

This was decided at a Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Law Minister HR Bhardwaj has been authorised by the Cabinet to consult various parties and draw up a list of exempted posts.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is Leader of the House in Lok Sabha, has been asked to hold consultations with MPs and leaders of political parties, Parliamentary Affairs Minister PR Dasmunsi said.

Asked whether the National Advisory Council will be among the exempted posts in the bill, the minister declined to specify saying the Law and Defence Ministers would be consulting political parties. "It will be difficult to specify any post," he said.