PTI

NEW DELHI, March 6: The Samajwadi Party on Monday suffered a setback when its MP and former actress Jaya Bachchan was disqualified as a member of the Rajya Sabha and a similar petition seeking to unseat another high profile member Amar Singh has been filed before the Election Commission.

Bringing to a close proceedings on a petition filed by one Madan Mohan, a losing candidate against her in the election from Uttar Pradesh, the Commission has recommended disqualification of Bachchan on the ground that she was holding an office of profit -- Chairperson of UP Film Development Board.

Under the Constitution, the President decides whether a sitting member has incurred disqualification in consultation with the EC. Article 102 (1)(a) bars an MP from holding any office of profit under the Government of India or in any state other than an office declared by Parliament by law not to disqualify its holder.

Legal experts say that the President is bound by the EC recommendation which is notified in the official gazette.

Madan Mohan had filed the complaint in October last and the Commission had conducted hearings in the case in which Bachchan was represented by her lawyer.

Reacting to the decision, an angry Bachchan saw a Congress hand behind the complaint but party spokesman Rajiv Shukla denied it. She said she may move the court.

 "The complaint has come from Congress party. It is a shame that people like us are not allowed to sit in Parliament," Jaya Bachchan said accusing the political rivals of small mindedness.

Pointing out that she was a recipient of Padma Shri award while her husband Amitabh Bachchan was a Padma Bhushan like his father Harvanshrai Bachchan, she said she had not "grabbed" the Rajya Sabha seat from anyone.

Just as news about Bachchan's disqualification spread, the Samajwadi Party got another jolt when the Commission received another reference from the President of a complaint for disqualification against its General Secretary Amar Singh, who holds the post of Chairman of UP State Development Council.

In Guwahati, Chief Election Commissioner B B Tandon told reporters that on the reference from President the Commission has given its recommendation on Bachchan but declined to elaborate.