Office of Profit

Misuse of Executive Power

Recently, 20 legislators of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi were disqualified by the President upon the Election Commission's advice. Adjudicating the post of parliamentary secretaries as an Office of Profit, the Election Commission cited the three criteria used by the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Office of Profit in the current Lok Sabha. The Joint Parlimentary Committee (JPC) criteria included: whether the holder drew any remuneration; whether the body in which an office was held exercised executive, legislative or judicial powers; or whether such a body enabled the holder to wield influence ....