Parties agree on profit of office
After fighting bitterly over the term for days, political parties across the spectrum now agree it?s time to clearly define ?office of profit?. Almost everyone is keen that a Bill be tabled to amend the Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1959 to this end.
After days of bitterness, everyone is keen to amend disqualification law
After fighting bitterly over the term for days, political parties across the spectrum now agree it’s time to clearly define ‘office of profit’.
Almost everyone is keen that a Bill be tabled to amend the Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1959 to this end.
The consensus emerged after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh deputed parliamentary affairs minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi — and not law minister HR Bhardwaj — to seek the views of political leaders of all hues on the issue.
Dasmunshi’s consultations were based on four points. One, whether the parties wanted an ordinance or a law.
Two, if it’s a law, should it be a comprehensive new Bill defining office of profit, or an amendment to the existing Act.
Three, whether there should be an all-party meeting over the issue.
And finally, should the government call a special Parliament session or stick to the May 10-23 schedule.
On Saturday, Dasmunshi held talks with, among others, L.K. Advani, Sharad Pawar, Lalu Yadav, Ram Vilas Paswan, Sitaram Yechury, D. Raja and Shibu Soren.
Soren reportedly urged the government to go slow, especially given that the BJP governments in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are on precarious ground.
“Let the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stew in its soup,” Soren is believed to have told Dasmunshi. Paswan made a similar suggestion.
BJP chief Rajnath Singh had asked the government to call for an early session — a point Jaswant Singh supported, but Advani left it to the government’s discretion.
Advani also did not favour an all-party meeting, though leaders like Abani Roy of Revolutionist Socialist Party (RSP) wanted it. After consulting the rest of the parties on Sunday, Dasmunshi will report to the PM.
