Selvaganapathy may lose his RS seat

DMK Rajya Sabha member T M Selvaganapathy is all set to lose his membership of Parliament after a CBI court in Chennai today convicted him in the infamous cremation shed scam and sentenced him two years' imprisonment.
Selvaganapathy, a minister in AIADMK government headed by J Jayalalithaa during 1991-96, and four others were sentenced to rigorous imprisonment in connection with construction of cremation sheds in Nagapattinam district.
Special CBI Judge S Malathi also slapped a fine of Rs 25,000 on Selvaganapathy, J T Acharyulu, the then Special Commissioner of Rural Development, M Sathyamoorthy, Director of Rural Development, M Krishnamoorthy, Project Officer, T Bharathi, proprietor of Om Muruga Cement Company.

In October last year, Congress leader Rashid Masood became the first MP to lose his Rajya Sabha seat after Supreme Court struck down a provision that protects a convicted lawmaker from disqualification on the ground of pendency of appeal in higher courts.
66-year-old Masood who was a member of the Upper House was held guilty in a case of corruption and other offences in September. His conviction was the first after the Apex Court struck down a provision in the electoral law that provided immunity to MPs and MLAs from immediate disqualification.
Soon after the action on Masood, Lok Sabha MPs Lalu Prasad and Jagdish Sharma, both convicted in the fodder scam, were formally disqualified. While Prasad is head of the RJD, Sharma belongs to the Janata Dal(U).

According to legal experts, a similar action against the DMK member is likely to be taken, subject to the provisions of the Representation of People's Act and its interpretation by the Supreme Court.
If Selvaganapaty is disqualified, DMK strength in the Upper House would be reduced to four.