Getting rid of MP’s has just got easier ……

Samajwadi Party on Monday suffered a setback when its MP and former actress Jaya Bachchan was disqualified as a member of the Rajya Sabha and a similar petition seeking to unseat another high profile member Amar Singh has been filed before the Election Commission. Bringing to a close proceedings on a petition filed by one Madan Mohan, a losing candidate against her in the election from Uttar Pradesh, the commission has recommended disqualification of Bachchan on the ground that she was holding an office of profit — chairperson of UP Film Development Board. Under the Constitution, the President decides whether a sitting member has incurred disqualification in consultation with the EC. Article 102 (1)(a) bars an MP from holding any office of profit under the Government of India or in any state other than an office declared by Parliament by law not to disqualify its holder. Legal experts say that the President is bound by the EC recommendation which is notified in the official gazette. Madan Mohan had filed the complaint in October last and the Commission had conducted hearings in the case in which Bachchan was represented by her lawyer.

I just found the justication ‘holding an office of profit’ so amusing. By no stretch of imagination can any Government post – such as the UP film board – be considered an ‘office of profit’. Most MP’s? probably would know profit if it came by and hit? them on their head – unless it is personal profit.