|
- By Parinda News Bureau, March 18, 2006, 09:43 IST
New Delhi: Cine actress Jaya Bachchan has been disqualified as a member of the Rajya Sabha with President Abdul Kalam accepting the Election Commission's recommendation on the ground that she was holding an office of profit.
Kalam signed a notification on Thursday disqualifying Jaya as she was also the Chairperson of the UP Film Development Council (UPFDC), deemed a a office of profit, the Law and Justice Ministry said.
Jaya was elected to the Upper House on a Samajwadi Party ticket in January 2004.
The EC had recommended that Jaya be disqualified under sub-clause (a) of Clause 1 of Article 102 of the Constitution from 14th July, 2004, the day she was appointed to the UPFDC.
BJP targets Sonia Gandhi after Jaya Bachchan's ouster as MP
Subsequent to Jaya Bachchan's disqualification, the BJP said Congress chief Sonia Gandhi also attracted disqualification as Lok Sabha member by virtue of her being Chairperson of the National Advisory Council (NAC) on implementation of Common Minimum Programme.
Talking to newsmen in New Delhi, BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said that prima facie, Sonia Gandhi's position as Chairperson of the National Advisory Council too attracted provisions of disqualification under the Constitution.
He said that Jaya Bachchan's disqualification was in accordance with the law and they would now be verifying Sonia Gandhi's position as Chairperson of the NAC on the same lines.
Javadekar said that the post of the chairperson of the NAC was no exception to the same law, "it is not a house committee she is heading".
Jaya's continuance as an MP was questioned by Congress worker Madan Mohan Shukla, a resident of Kanpur, in a petition to Kalam who subsequently referred the matter to the EC for its advice.
A Law and Justice Ministry release held that having carefully considered the facts on record as contained in the opinion of the Election Commission and being fully satisfied therewith, the President disqualified Jaya Bachchan from her Rajya Sabha membership.
The Commission had conducted many hearings in which Jaya was represented by her lawyer. She had also made a representation to the President to review the EC's recommendation.
The Uttar Pradesh Assembly had recently passed a Bill to remove certain positions, including the one held by Jaya from the category of offices of profit.
However, state Governor T V Rajeswar has so far not given his assent to the Bill.
SP leader and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has blamed the Congress party, particularly its chief Sonia Gandhi, for being behind the petition against Jaya.
| 
