Tuesday, March 28 2006 11:13 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: A 50-member delegation of MPs and MLAs from UPA parties in Jharkhand today (Mar 28, 2006)called on President A P J Abdul Kalam and demanded that he direct Governor Syed Sibte Razi not to accord assent to the Bill to save ruling NDA MLAs from disqualification for holding offices of profit.

"The Governor of Jharkhand may kindly be directed to look into the developments objectively and save democracy in Jharkhand. The Governor should not accord assent to the Bill as it will create a wrong precedent and save the wrong doers," the memorandum said.

JMM supremo and Union Minister Shibu Soren, Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand Assembly Sudhir Mahato and Independent MLA Stephen Marandi later told reporters that the President assured them that he would look into their demand and 'consider it seriously'.

The delegation complained to the President that institutions of democracy were being 'ruthlessly demolished' in Jharkhand.

The leaders said that since five members of the ruling NDA, which has a thin majority in the 82-member House, werefacing disqualification for holding offices of profit, the State Government 'hurriedly introduced a Bill completely ignoring the procedure and precedence' for tabling a legislation.

They said the procedure for introducing a Bill was not followed, reflecting the 'ulterior motive' of the State Government.

"It is obvious that it was done to save the five members from disqualification of membership. In a way, a fraud on the Constitution has been committed by the ruling party," they charged.

Pointing out that the Bill has been sent to the Governor for his assent, they said since the Election Commission was already seized of the matter, "Constitutional propriety demands that the Bill so passed (by the Assembly) should not be accorded assent by the Governor".

The leaders urged the President that he should direct the Governor not to accord assent to the Bill. Soren told reporters that the delegation comprised 39 Opposition MLAs and 11 MPs from UPA parties in the state.

He alleged that there was no Government worth its name in Jharkhand under the Chief Ministership of Arjun Munda.

On their plans to meet the Chief Election Commissioner to demand disqualification of the NDA MLAs, the UPA leaders said there was a technical problem as the Commission could not meet the parties directly since it was already considering the matter referred to it by the Governor.