Bill to save membership of two DF legislators

Bill to save membership of two DF legislators
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

MUMBAI, MARCH 13: Appeasing the legislators seems to be on the priority of the Democratic Front government. This was evident on the first day as the legislature set down to conduct the routine work. The DF government today tabled a legislation to amend the Maharashtra Legislature Members (Removal of Disqualifications) Act, just to save the membership of its two legislators nominated as chairmen of statutory boards.

The bill has been brought to save MLA Madhukar Chavan and MLC Ulhas Pawar (both from Congress) from incurring any possible disqualification by virtue of Article 191 of the Constitution which provides for disqualification of a member of legislature if he occupies an office of profit under the State Government.

While Chavan is the chairman of the Marathwada Development Board, Pawar is chairman of the Development Board for rest of Maharashtra.

As the chairman of the two boards, they have been given the status of minister and are entitled to facilties available to a minister. Also, they are paid honorarium and provided with facilities like rent-free accomodation, telephones, office, secretarial assistance, government vehicle, travelling and daily allowances for the journeys undertaken for official purposes. These facilities along with the payment of honorarium make the offices occupied by the duo as an office of profit under the state government. This might attract the provisions of sub-clause (a) of clause (1) of Article 191 of the Constitution relating to disqualification of a member of legislature.

The amendment proposes that the holders of the two offices shall not incur any disqualification under the Article 191 (1) (a) for being a member of the state legislature. In fact, the statement of objects and reasons of the bill clearly states that the government considered it expedient to amend the Maharashtra Legislature Members Act with effect from December 15, 1999 so as to incorporate the two offices in the Schedule I to the Act, to save them from incurring any possible disqualification by virtue of the Article 191.

In fact, an ordinance to this effect has already been promulgated by the government on February 10 last.

The bill was tabled in the Assembly by minister for parliamentary affairs Rohidas Patil.

Chavan is a Congress MLA elected from Tuljapur in Marathwada while Pawar is a member of Legislative Council. Morever, he is known as a close confidant of Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.