Cabinet nod for ordinance to exclude CM advisers from office of profit
DERA BABA NANAK/CHANDIGARH : Punjab council of ministers led by chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, on Thursday, decided to bring an ordinance to exclude adviser (political) and advisor (planning) to the CM from the ambit of the The Punjab State Legislature (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1952.
Six MLAs were made advisers to the CM recently. The ordinance will amend the law to add these posts to the list of posts that are not considered office of profit for the purpose of disqualification of MLAs. With the amendment, these MLAs will not be disqualified, said a spokesperson after the cabinet meeting.
The council of ministers approved the addition of clause (q) after clause (p) by making amendment in section-2 of “The Punjab State Legislature (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1952” as under “(q) the office of adviser (political) to chief minister/adviser (planning) to the CM.
The council of ministers also authorised to approve and recommend the draft ordinance to the Punjab Governor for its promulgation. Under Article 213 of the Constitution of India, if at any time, except when the legislative assembly of the state is in session, if the Governor is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary for him to take immediate action, he may promulgate such ordinances as the circumstances appear to him to require.
PAS WITHDRAWN FROM NEW ADVISERS
Later in the day, the Punjab government cancelled the orders of posting of personal assistants (PAs) with the six legislators who have been appointed as advisers to the chief minister.
The cancellation orders were issued by the general administration department which asked the staff to report to the department for further orders, according to an official. The appointment of advisers has been challenged before the high court for being in violation of the constitutional provisions.
Hitting out at the Congress government, SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said, “The cancellation of orders of PAs with advisers to the CM has exposed blatant lies of the government which claimed that there was no financial burden. “Similarly, the cabinet has approved an ordinance to take post of Advisors out of office of profit. If it was not so then why ordinance? (sic),” he tweeted.