Jaya challenges disqualification in SC

NEW DELHI: Actress-politician Jaya Bachchan on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court challenging the presidential order disqualifying her Rajya Sabha membership on the ground that she was holding an office of profit.

In her petition, the former Samajwadi MP said the complaint sent to President APJ Kalam did not assert that she had received any honorarium or remuneration.

In response to the notice from the Election Commission, she had specifically stated that the post of chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh Film Development Corporation and the conferment of cabinet status was decorative only and not for monetary benefits.

She said the opinion of the poll panel to the president did not give any finding that she had received any monetary gain from the said office.

Assailing the March 16 order and the Commission's opinion dated March 2, Jaya Bachchan said the question that arose in this petition was whether in the absence of any finding by the Commission that she had received any payment or remuneration from the office she held, the conclusion arrived at to disqualify her was correct or not.

Contending that the consequences of her disqualification were harmful to her, she sought a declaration that the March 16 order and the March 2 opinion were arbitrary and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. She also sought a declaration that her disqualification was invalid.