Parliamentary panel opines PU Chair for Manmohan not under ‘office of profit’

KV Prasad

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 20

Decks are clear for former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to accept the Jawaharlal Nehru Chair professorship at Panjab University, Chandigarh, with a parliamentary panel expressing the opinion that the institution does not fall under the government and “may not attract” disqualification as an MP under “office of profit”.

“The committee is of the considered opinion that the office of ‘Jawaharlal Nehru Chair Professor’ does not fall within the purview of the government and, therefore, the acceptance of offer of the Jawaharlal Nehru Chair professorship of Panjab University by Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister and MP, Rajya Sabha, may not attract the angle of ‘office of profit’ incurring disqualification for being chosen as, or for being a Member of Parliament under Article 102(1)(a) of the Constitution,” the Joint Committee on Office of Profit said in its latest report.

The committee, headed by Satyapal Singh, also noted that this was the first time an MP was offered the Chair of Professor. The Legislative Department Secretary of the Law and Justice Ministry told the committee that though the professorship had ingredients of office, since profit was there in the form of honorarium, the university was under a State Act and not controlled either by the Centre or the state government outside the purview of the said Article.

The issue came in for examination on a letter sent by Manmohan Singh in July to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. While informing him of the offer, the former PM sought advice whether accepting it would attract disqualification under office of profit under Article 102 (1).

The Joint Committee, tasked to look into it, last month heard representatives from the ministries of Law and Justice, the Human Resources Department and Panjab University Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover.

The person appointed on this Chair is expected to visit the university for a short duration and is entitled to business class airfare, a car with a driver, if required, accommodation in a hotel/ university guest house and Rs 5,000 honorarium per day during visits to the university. Besides, if required, suitable fare and hospitality shall also be provided for an attendant, the university said.

  The person appointed on the Chair is required to interact with the faculty, staff and students of the university by way of discussions/lectures. The professorship does neither have any administrative responsibility nor any decision-making power, including that of appointment/ removal/influence or power by way of patronage.