The Opposition NDA on Monday decided to oppose a Government Bill that proposes to exempt 46 posts including the National Advisory Council Chairmanship from the purview of office of profit, on the ground that it was against the spirit of the Constitution.
"We have unanimously decided to oppose the Bill as it kills the spirit of Article 102 of the Constitution, which pertains to Office of Profit", BJP Deputy leader in Rajya Sabha Sushma Swaraj told reporters in New Delhi after a meeting of NDA leaders chaired by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Maintaining that the persons sought to be saved come out clearly from the long list of posts included in the the Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Amendment Bill 2006 to be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, she said, "It is being brought to save this Government. We have decided to oppose it in one voice when it is introduced".
The Opposition alliance wanted Article 102 should be redefined and its ambiguity to be removed, she said.
Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh had written to Leader of Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee conveying BJP's view that it was against the dilution of the spirit of Article 102 of the Constitution, she said, adding the party was also against any legislation with retrospective effect.
{{/usCountry}}Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh had written to Leader of Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee conveying BJP's view that it was against the dilution of the spirit of Article 102 of the Constitution, she said, adding the party was also against any legislation with retrospective effect.
{{/usCountry}}The 90-minute long meeting discussed the issue in detail and was attended among others by Leader of Opposition LK Advani, NDA Convener George Fernandes, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, Dinesh Trivedi (Trinamool Congress), Ananth Geethe (Shiv Sena), BJ Panda (BJD) and senior BJP leaders.