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Political Notes

	September 04, 2006

Office of Profit issue : EC to close cases against PM and others



The Election Commission is reported to have decided to close the petitions seeking the disqualification of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and 40 others for holding offices of profit.



Sources said the Commission took this decision in view of the enactment of the Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Amendment Act, 2006, providing for exemption from disqualification to over 50 posts. The Commission said the petitions forwarded by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam had become infructuous, and no purpose would be served by proceeding with the enquiry.



However, the sources said the petition against Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss would be dealt with separately as the post of president of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences was not covered under the new law. Ramadoss has already sent his reply to the Commission’s notice.



Though the Supreme Court entertained a petition from a Trinamul Congress MP challenging the validity of the Act and even issued notice, the Commission said it had no alternative but to drop further enquiry as there was no stay on the operation of the Act. The sources said the Commission would, however, give individual opinions on each complaint and forward them to the President.





No rift with RLD : Mulayam



Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has said that there is no rift between his Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal of Ajit Singh. Speaking in Lucknow on August 29, he said the socalled differences are limited to news columns. The RLD president, a partner in the coalition with the Samajwadi Party, had declined to attend the function to mark three years of the Mulayam Singh Government despite a personal request from the Chief Minister.



There are reports that with the Congress trying to woo the Rashtria Lok Dal in view of the coming Assembly elections in the state, Ajit Singh wants to get a plum portfolio in the Central Government if he is to align with the Congress. He also wants a seat-sharing arrangement with the Congress for the Assembly elections in the state expected to be held early next year.



Ajit Singh is reported to be pressing for an MoS slot for his party apart from a Cabinet level portfolio for himself. The Congress may find it difficult to meet his demand for a Harit Pradesh to be carved out of Uttar Pradesh.



Ajit Singh is holding a public rally at Dadri tomorrow, Sept. 5, where he may spell out his stand on various issues including alliances for the coming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.





BSP leader Mayawati re-elected as president



Mayawati has been re-elected as president of the Bahujan Samaj Party for a second term. Taking a lead over political rivals in Uttar Pradesh, the BSP has selected its candidates for a majority of the constituencies in the state Assembly. The party has not only finalised candidates for 320 of the total 404 Assembly seats, it has also started campaigning for the elections.





New CVC appointed



Former Secretary (Personnel), Pratyush Sinha, has been selected the next Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) by a panel, headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The panel selected him to head the three-member vigilance body.



The vacancy arose after P. Shankar completed his four-year term on Friday and demitted office.



The other two members of the selection panel, set up on the directions of the Supreme Court given in the 1997 Vineet Narain case judgment, are Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani.



Sources in the Personnel Ministry said Uttar Pradesh Revenue Board member T. George Joseph, a 1971 batch U.P. cadre IAS officer, was the other contender for the post.



It is the third appointment of the CVC under the Supreme Court guidelines. N. Vittal was the first CVC appointed to head the body in the post-Vineet Narain judgment scenario. The apex court also gave the CVC powers of superintendence over the functioning of the Central Bureau of Investigation.