If this much drama had gone into the Uttar Pradesh Film Development Council (FDC), it could actually have injected life into the still-born body. Unfortunately, all the action the FDC has seen so far has been reserved for the post of its chairperson—now not held, now held by Jaya Bachchan.Earlier, just after the Opposition had raised a hue and cry over Bachchan’s nomination by the Samajwadi Party for Rajya Sabha on June 16, considering that she was holding ‘‘a post of profit’’ as FDC chairperson, it had been ‘‘revealed’’ that she had actually quit the post just three days earlier. No one had surprisingly come to know, given the fanfare with which she had been handed over the post by Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.Exactly a month later, with the Rajya Sabha elections in the past, Bachchan has returned as FDC Chairperson, equally quietly. FDC Member and Director, Information, Sanjay Bhatia confirmed that Bachchan was re-appointed on July 14, but denies this was kept a secret. He also defends her saying that neither had she availed any remuneration in the past nor would she in the future.According to senior advocate S K Kalia, if this is true, Bachchan is in the clear. Quoting Article 102-1-A of the Constitution, he said that under the statute, a person holding any office of profit is considered disqualified for the membership of Parliament. ‘‘But that person can be saved from disqualification if he/she is given an exemption to hold a post in any committee or any other such organisation for advising the government and is not availing any remuneration.’’Despite repeated attempts to contact her—including a fax—Bachchan refused to comment on the matter.Immediately after taking over as the Chief Minister in August, Mulayam had constituted the FDC and nominated Bachchan as its chairperson in October. Bachchan held the first meeting of the FDC in December and continued to operate the council from Mumbai.The Congress candidate whose papers for a Rajya Sabha seat had been rejected by the returning officer had even filed a writ petition against Bachchan’s nomination by the Samajwadi Party to the RS. It was then that the government had come forth with Bachchan’s ‘‘resignation’’, dated June 13, showing she was not holding any government post at the time of filing her nomination. The case is still pending with the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court.All this while, the FDC remained headless, with all activities at a standstill. With the post of chairperson vacant, speculation was rife that it was only a matter of time before Bachchan made it back to the FDC. It has been proved correct.
