The Shiromani Akali Dal has accused the Congress government in Punjab of trying to “regularise unconstitutional” appointments by deciding to amend a law under which advisers to the Chief Minister for planning and political matters will not be disqualified for holding offices of profit.
Offices of profit
The Punjab Cabinet on Friday decided to amend the Punjab State Legislature (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1952. After this amendment, members of the Assembly appointed as advisers in the rank of Ministers under this category will not be disqualified for holding offices of profit.
In a statement, former Minister and Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia said that Congress MLAs Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Kuljit Singh Nagra, Sangat Singh Gilzian, Inderbir Singh Bolaria, Kushaldeep Dhillon and Tarsem Singh DC had already invited disqualification by accepting an office of profit in the form of advisers in the rank of Cabinet/Minister of State rank.
The appointments violate the 91st Amendment of the Constitution which stated that the total number of Ministers shall not exceed 15% of the total strength of the State Assembly, he said.
Asserting that these appointments could not be regularised retrospectively, Mr. Majithia said that the Congress government trying to “regularise” the appointments by moving a Bill to amend Section 2 of the Punjab State Legislature (Prevention of Disqualification) Act proves that the appointments were not made as per law.
“The government should not compound its mistake by going in for desperate measures to save these appointments, and should scrap them immediately,” he said.
Mr. Majithia said the SAD would also ask the Congress government to explain the rationale behind appointing MLAs as advisers at a time when the State was unable to give midday meals, scheduled caste scholarships and old age pension.
The State government has appointed six Minister-rank advisers to CM Amarinder Singh. Five Congress MLAs were given the status of Cabinet Ministers and the sixth that of a Minister of State.
Four MLAs were designated as advisers (political) while one was designated as adviser (planning) with the cabinet rank and status.
