The Youth Wing of the Congress party alleged four legislators in Mizoram of holding “office of profit”. In this regard, a formal complaint has been lodged with Mizoram Governor, P.S. Sreedharan Pillai on Tuesday, according to Congress Youth Wing president Lalmalsawma Nghaka.
The Youth Wing of the Congress party sought legal measures against Prof. F. Lalnunmawia of Mizo National Front (MNF), L. Thangmawia and Vanlaltanpuia of MNF, and an independent MLA Vanlalthlana in a petition submitted to the Governor, which alleged that these four MLAs had been “simultaneously drawing salary from a university and enjoying perks as legislators, which is a clear case of ‘office of profit’ and violation of Articles 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 contended that “the university gives civic right to the teaching staff to contest Assembly or Lok Sabha elections provided and if elected, they are allowed to take Extra Ordinary Leave (EOL) for maximum 10 years”.
The Congress leader also argued that three of the four MLAs were appointed as vice-chairmen of various implementing boards under the state’s flagship programme – Socio-Economic Development Policy (SEDP) and were given the ranks of Minister of State (MoS), which contravened 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.
