Back to Headlines

Govt may not alter Office of Profit Bill

      New Delhi: The Central Government is unlikely to alter the controversial Office-of-Profit Bill that was returned by President A P J Abdul Kalam on May 30. According to official sources, the Bill is likely to be introduced in the "same form" in Parliament during the Monsoon session in the second half of July. Sources said that the thinking in the Government was that the Bill should be re-introduced in Parlaiment in the same form, as there is a feeling that no change is necessary. President Kalam had returned the bill for reconsideration by both the Houses for a "comprehensive and generic" criteria. He also wanted that the criteria should be "fair and reasonable" and applicable in a "clear and transparent" manner across all the states and union territories. Another point on which the President had voiced reservation in his communication to both Houses was about the propriety of applying the law with retrospective effect. He wanted this also to be considered afresh.

     The Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Amendment Bill 2006, passed by both Houses in the second half of the Budget session last month, had exempted 56 posts, including that of Chairperson of National Advisory Council, an office earlier held by Congress President Sonia Gandhi. The controversy prior to Bill's introduction in Parliament had Gandhi to resign and contest by-elections from her Rae Bareli constituency afresh. She was re-elected unanimously by over 0.4 million votes.