Office of profit: EC gives opinion on Sonia to Prez

The Election Commission said on Wednesday that it has given its opinion to President A P J Abdul Kalam with regard to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and seven other former MPs on the office of profit issue.

Deputy Election Commissioner R Balakrishnan, however, refused to divulge the opinion tendered to the President with regard to the MPs.

He told reporters that the EC has sent its opinion also with regard to Jaya Bachchan, Kapila Vatsyayan, V K Malhotra, Amar Singh, Balbir Punj, Anil Ambani and Sugrib Singh.

• Just what is an office of profit?

While Bachchan has already been disqualified, Gandhi, Vatsyayan and Ambani have resigned their Parliament seats and Punj is retired from the Rajya Sabha. The Commission has also tendered its opinion with regard to two MLAs -- Uttar Pradesh Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mohd Azam Khan and Chatturam Mahto (Jharkhand), he said.

While notices have been issued to petitioners in 22 cases involving 37 MPs seeking additional information, notices were issued to four more MPs -- Anuradha Choudhary (RLD), Bansagopal Chowdhury, Amar Singh (SP) and Sajjan Kumar (Congress), he said.

Complete coverage: Sonia Gandhi resigns