Convicted MPs, MLAs safe for now, centre saves legislators from
disqualification  Samanwaya Rautray, ET Bureau Sep 25, 2013,
05.32AM IST (Convicted MPs, MLAs safe…)  NEW DELHI: The Cabinet
has cleared an ordinance to protect elected MPs and MLAs from
immediate disqualification on conviction for two years for any
offence, a step Law Minister Kapil Sibal said was not intended
to protect individuals but aimed more at letting sitting
lawmakers complete the rest of their terms.  "No one is saving
anybody. It is not intended to save individuals," Sibal said,
rebutting suggestion the ordinance was aimed at saving some
highprofile politicians whose fates hang in the balance because
of a July 10 order of the Supreme Court which ruled that
convicted lawmakers could be removed from their posts forthwith.
The top court had scrapped a provision in the Representation of
People Act that offered convicted politicians a three-month
window to appeal their convictions and keep their seats while
those appeals were pending.  The