Thattanchavady seat declared vacant by Pondy assembly speaker

: Speaker of the Puducherry Assembly V Vaithilingam Thursday declared Thattanchavady constituency vacant following the disqualification of the sitting legislator Ashok Anand (AINRC) in the wake of his conviction in a disproportionate assets case.

The Speaker declared through a notification that the seat has fallen vacant in accordance with the provisions of the Article 102 (1) (e) of the Constitution read with the section 14 (1) of government of Union Territories Act 1963.

Also, he declared that the constituency shall be deemed to have become vacant from October 30 when Ashok Anand was convicted.

Ashok Anand was convicted under Section 13 (1) (e) read with sub-section (2) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 read with section 109 of Indian Penal Code by the Special Judge of Puducherry in the case filed by the CBI.

Anand was also awarded one-year rigorous imprisonment and was also slapped a fine of Rs one lakh (in default to undergo further imprisonment of three months) and confiscation of property for the disproportionate wealth value of Rs 1,74,36, 839.

The notification issued by the Speaker said the existing provisions of section 8 of the Representation of People Act 1951 read with section 14 (1) of the Government of Union Territories Act provide for disqualification of a person convicted of offences referred to in the sections.

The notification said consequent to the conviction Ashok Anand stands disqualified for being a member of the Puducherry Assembly from the date of his conviction for the period of his sentence and shall continue to be disqualified for a further period of six years since his release in terms of the existing provisions of Section 8 of the Representation of People Act 1951.

Ashok Anand and his father C Anand, a former chief engineer of PWD, were convicted by the local CBI court in the disproportionate assets case.

Each of them was also slapped a one-year imprisonment.

Ashok Anand was elected from Thattanchavady in the 2011 and 2016 Assembly polls successively on AINRC ticket.

The AINRC was returned from eight segments to the Assembly in the poll held in 2011.

With the disqualification of Ashok Anand and with the Thattanchavady seat falling vacant the strength of the AINRC has now come down to seven.