Questions

Disqualification of MP's and MLA's on the ground of holding office of profit is a controversial topic of nation-wide debate. It began with the disqualification of Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan from Rajya Sabha on March 17, 2006 with retrospective effect from July 14, 2004.There are separate provisions of disqualification for the Members of Parliament and MLAs. Our constitution clearly mentions that the Parliament has the power to make a law in respect to the issue of qualification and disqualification of the membership in case:

(i) He holds any office of profit under the Government of India or of any state, other than an office declared by a law of Parliament not to disqualify its holder.

(ii) He is of unsound mind and stand so declared by a competent court.

(iii) He is an undischarged insolvent.

(iv) He is not a citizen of India or has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a foreign state, or is under any acknowledgement or allegiance or adherence to a foreign state, and

(v) It is he so disqualified by or under any law of Parliament. It applies to the case of 'defection' as prescribed in tenth schedule.

Saakshar    Bharat    scheme    was launched  on  8th  September  2009 during  the  11th  Five  Year  Plan, with an aim to raise literacy rate to 80%, to bridge gender gap to 10% .The   scheme   is   anchored   with Panchayati   Raj   Institutions   and Local  Self-government  to  decrease regional  and  social  disparities  and to   focus   on   women,   SCs,   STs, minorities and other disadvantaged  groups.  It  focused mainly  on  adult  education,  with emphasis  on  non-literates  in  the age group of 15-36 years.