Wednesday, March 22 2006 14:49 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today (Mar 22 2006) opted to stay away from presiding over proceedings of the House on the ground that he has been named as one of the persons holding an office of profit.

"Since my name has been involved by some members, it will not be appropriate for me to sit on the Chair," he told sources in Parliament House.

Both Houses of Parliament were today repeatedly adjourned following a report that government was considering to bring an Ordinance to exempt certain posts from the purview of office of profit.

Chatterjee expressed ignorance on whether the government was contemplating to adjourn the House sine die.