States in similar quandary

The office of profit Bill has not only become an issue for the Centre but for the states as well, with several state governors returning the state-level Bills to legislative assemblies for reconsideration.

Manipur and Jharkhand are just two examples, a similar Bill is pending with Delhi Lieutenant Governor B L Joshi.

The Manipur Assembly, which found itself in the same position as the Union government, has passed the Manipur Legislature (Removal of Disqualification) Fourth Amendment Bill 2006 in its original form.

The Bill would now be sent to the governor for his consent.

Earlier, Governor S S Sidhu had returned the Bill to the Assembly for reconsideration on some aspects like lack of clarity and specifics related to meaning of MLAs holding offices of profit.

The Manipur Bill has removed 43 posts from the list of offices of profit.

With the passing of the bill, the six Congress legislators whose disqualification was petitioned to the Election Commission by the state unit of the BJP for holding offices of profit, heaved a sigh of relief.

The 43 posts include chairmanship of the Kangla Fort Board, Shri Shri Govindajee Temple Board and Manipur Film Development Corporation, being held by Ibobi Singh.

The government of Arjun Munda in Jharkhand is on a sticky wicket with Governor Sibte Razi having returned the state's Bill on office of profit.