Thursday, March 23 2006 14:40 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The CPI today(Mar 23,2006) opposed any ordinance to re-define 'offices of profit' while the CPI(M) as not forthcoming on the issue saying only Parliament was empowered to legislate on the matter.

The stand of the Left parties assumes significance in the context of reports that government was planning to bring an ordinance to re-define the 'office of profit' which the Opposition allege was aimed at saving Sonia Gandhi from 'a certain disqualification' as MP.

CPI leader D Raja, who met CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat here, later told reporters that "We are not for the ordinance route. Parliament is empowered to decide and only it should decide".

The CPI(M) Polit Bureau issued a statement saying, "Under the Constitution, Parliament is empowered to decide on the definition of 'office of profit' and to exempt any office from disqualifying its holder under the 'office of profit' clause".

To repeated questions, CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury refused to say whether the party was opposed to the ordinance route and whether the Budget Session should be re-convened for enacting a legislation.

"Parliament has to urgently and immediately take up the issue. It is up to the government to see how they do it. Parliament will have to enact the law. Eventually, even it (ordinance) will have to come to Parliament," he told reporters.

He said there was an urgent need to redefine the 'office of profit' Act as members of all major political parties would be affected by it.

"The list cuts across all the parties, at least all the major political parties," he said.

"This is not about one party or another. This is something that concerns the future of Parliament and democracy," he added.

Yechury said the 'flaws in the law have to be rectified urgently' and the party was ready for consultations with the government on this issue.

"Government can consult political parties before taking a decision. We are prepared for consultations," he added.