Aizawl, November 17 (NNN): Four legislators in Mizoram were accused by the opposition Congress party of holding “office of profit”. In this regard, the Youth Wing of the Congress party has lodged a complaint with Mizoram Governor, P. S. Sreedharan Pillai on Tuesday, according to Congress Youth Wing president Lalmalsawma Nghaka.
A petition seeking legal measures against Prof. F. Lalnunmawia of Mizo National Front (MNF), L. Thangmawia of MNF, Vanlaltanpuia of MNF and an independent MLA Vanlalthlana was submitted to the Governor by the Youth Wing of the Congress party alleging that these four MLAs were “simultaneously drawing salary from a university and enjoying facilities as legislators, which is a clear case of ‘office of profit’ and violation of article 102 (1) (a) and 191 (1) (a) of the Constitution of India”.
According to the Congress Youth Wing, Lalnunmawia “works as a professor in Botany department of Mizo University (MZU), while the remaining three MLAs are regular faculties of Pachhunga University College (PUC) in Aizawl, which is affiliated to Mizoram University”. The Congress Youth Wing president Lalmalsawma Nghaka argued that “the university gives civic right to the teaching staff to contest Assembly or Lok Sabha elections provided and if elected, then they are allowed to take Extra Ordinary Leave (EOL) for maximum 10 years”.
According to the Congress leader, “three of the four MLAs were appointed as vice chairmen of various implementing board under the state’s flagship programme- Socio-Economic Development Policy (SEDP) and were given the ranks of Minister of State (MoS), which contravenes Article 164 (1A) of the Constitution”. The Congress Youth Wing then appealed the Governor to look into the matter and take necessary actions in this regard.
