Questions

Disqualification of MP's and MLA's on the ground of holding office of profit is a controversial topic of nation-wide debate. It began with the disqualification of Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan from Rajya Sabha on March 17, 2006 with retrospective effect from July 14, 2004.There are separate provisions of disqualification for the Members of Parliament and MLAs. Our constitution clearly mentions that the Parliament has the power to make a law in respect to the issue of qualification and disqualification of the membership in case:

(i) He holds any office of profit under the Government of India or of any state, other than an office declared by a law of Parliament not to disqualify its holder.

(ii) He is of unsound mind and stand so declared by a competent court.

(iii) He is an undischarged insolvent.

(iv) He is not a citizen of India or has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a foreign state, or is under any acknowledgement or allegiance or adherence to a foreign state, and

(v) It is he so disqualified by or under any law of Parliament. It applies to the case of 'defection' as prescribed in tenth schedule.

All the reports of the Commission are presented to the President, who in turn sends them to the both the houses of the Parliament.

The Department of Economic Affairs, Finance Ministry of India presents the Economic Surveyin the parliament every year, just before the Union Budget. It is prepared under the guidance of theChief Economic Adviser, Finance Ministry. It is the ministry's view on the annual economic development of the country.