On “Office of Profit” Issue

Leaders of the CPI(M), CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc met in New Delhi on May 9, 2006. They issued the following statement

The meeting of the Left parties discussed the “office of profit” issue. Under the provisions of the Disqualification Act of 1959, parliament is empowered to exempt certain offices held by members of parliament from disqualification for holding an office of profit. The government should bring in legislation to amend the schedule which lists the offices which are not to be considered as office of profit for the purpose of disqualification. The list may include such offices with retrospective effect.

As far as the basic issues of definition of the office of profit under the Constitution, the separation of legislative and executive powers and whether members of parliament should hold non-legislative offices, these should be examined in depth by a special committee constituted by parliament. Its recommendations should be taken up for consideration and implementation.

The meeting was attended by Prakash Karat (CPI-M), A B Bardhan and D Raja (CPI), Debabrata Biswas (AIFB) and Abani Roy (RSP).