Wednesday, March 29 2006 14:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Shillong: The office of profit controversy also surfaced in Meghalaya with the opposition NCP today (Mar 29, 2006) petitioning the Election Commission seeking disqualification of 26 MLAs of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA).

In a joint petition signed by Rajya Sabha MP from NCP Robert Kharshiing and opposition leader in the assembly K Sangma, the party sought disqualification of the MLAs on the ground that they were holding office of profit.

Most of the 26 MLAs named by NCP are holding posts of chairmen and deputy chairmen in various state government undertakings, Sangma told sources adding that they have also sent copies of their petition to the president and chief justice of the Supreme Court.

"We have done our duty as the opposition party. Now it is upto the commission and the president," he said.

The names of ministers and parliamentary secretaries of Meghalaya had not figured in the list, he clarified.

In a significant move, the D D Lapang government consulted the state's advocate general on the issue of people's representatives holding additional posts in various boards and committees. The outcome of the legal expert's view was yet to be known officially.

Meanwhile, the chief minister yesterday consulted MDA partners and asked the chairman and parliamentary secretaries not to resign from their posts immediately.