Bill to keep SC, ST panel heads out of office of profit passed

Parliament today passed a bill that would keep chairpersons of National Commissions for the SC and ST out of the purview of the office of profit.
The bill, which has already been passed by the Rajya Sabha, was approved by Lok Sabha without discussion.
The Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Amendment Bill, 2013, also seeks to include both the Commissions in the list of offices which are not affected by the office of profit clause.
The bill, which would also ensure that an MP can hold that post without facing any disqualification threat, would come into force effective from February 19, 2004.

In the 89th Amendment of the Constitution, it was decided to have a separate National Commission for Scheduled Castes and separate National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.
The bifurcation was not reflected in the Prevention of Disqualification Act.
Congress member P L Punia is the Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Caste, while former Congress MP Rameshwar Oraon heads the panel for STs.