Aizawl, May 4: The Mizoram Assembly, in an emergency session today, passed the Mizoram State Legislature Members (Removal of Disqualification) Bill, 2006, to offset any effect of disqualification that the office of profit issue could have on the current legislature.

The bill was passed with an amendment that was brought up by Mizoram Congress Party legislator Liansuama, who verbally requested that Article 4 of the Mizoram Union Territory Legislature (Removal of Disqualification) Act, 1975, be altogether removed. The article pertains to holding dual offices by MLAs in district councils and village councils.

Liansuama told the House that legislators do not have time to hold two important positions at the same time.

His verbal request was admitted in the House by Speaker Lalchamliana after a brief consultation with the members.

Those likely to be affected by the scrapping of Article 4 of the 1975 act, R.M. Chakma, who is also the chief executive member of the Chakma Autonomous District Council, and P.P. Thawlla, who is a member of the Mara Autonomous District Council ? supported the verbal amendment move.

In fact, Chakma said when a vote was taken on the amendment of scrapping of Article 4, he would be the first to raise his hand in favour of it although he had enjoyed the positions through the 1986 amendment of the 1975 act.

Article 4 of the 1975 act with its 1986 amendment states, ?The office of the chief executive member, executive member, chairman, vice-chairman, or member of any autonomous district council and the president, vice-president or member of any village council constituted in Mizoram under any existing law or regulation? are to be exempted from disqualification.

The main amendment dealt primarily with defining certain offices that are to be exempted such as Opposition leader and advisers to the chief minister, who have been designated with the rank of minister of state or deputy minister.

The amendment also inserted a new section that defined ?authority? as ?any committee, council, board or any other body of one or more persons whether statutory or not set up by the central government or state government?.

The new section also defined compensatory allowance as ?travelling allowance, sitting allowance, conveyance allowance, honorariums, house rent allowance and any such sum of money or amenities as may be declared by the government to form part of the compensatory allowance?.

Since the passing of this amendment bill would mean protection for some of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) legislators who have come under the office of profit scanner, the Opposition parties, especially the Congress, put up a futile fight since the MNF legislature party, which alone has a majority, is supported by the Mizoram Congress Legislature Party.

Opposition leader Lalthanhawla, who took the first opportunity to take the floor during the discussion, criticised the bill?s retrospective effect, saying February 20, 1987, as the effective date for the amendment was totally wrong.

He was also of the opinion that the Assembly could have waited a few more days for Parliament to come to a session where a bill was sure to be passed over the Article 191 of the Constitution about disqualification of members.

He said the hurried convening of the emergency session was to cover up undue favours to ruling party legislators.