Office of profit bill goes to joint parliamentary committee

A joint committee of the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha will go through the constitutional and legal position relating to the Office of Profit Bill that was passed by both Houses in the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament.

President A P J Abdul Kalam had earlier returned the Bill with queries.

Union Law Minister H R Bhardwaj told the media on Thursday that the joint committee will comprise 15 members -- 10 from the Lok Sabha who will be nominated by the Speaker, including the chairperson of the JPC, and five from the Rajya Sabha to be nominated by the RS Chairman.

The terms of reference, Bhardwaj said, would be to examine the context of the settled interpretations of office of profit (according to Article 102 of the Constitution), and underlying constitutional principles to suggest a comprehensive definition of office of profit.

The panel will also recommend evaluation of generic and comprehensive criteria relating to the office of profit that are just, fair and reasonable and can be applied to all states and Union territories, Bhardwaj said.

The JPC will submit its report to the Lok Sabha by the first day of the last week of the next session of Parliament (that is, the winter session).

The motion to set up the JPC was approved amidst uproar from members of the Opposition and the Communist Party of India over the hurry with which it was tabled for approval. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Opposition members later walked out in protest.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi defended the move, saying the government was only fulfilling a commitment made in Parliament while passing the Prevention of Disqualification of MPs Bill.

With PTI inputs