Puducherry: Election Commission of India has issued notice to eight Puducherry legislators including six ruling Congress and two DMK MLAs to appear before the commission in person or through legal representatives on September 27 on complaints of 'holding office of profit'.

ECI's directions comes following the complaints from leader of the AIADMK (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) and former legislator Om Sakthi Sekar who sought the disqualification of eight legislators who are holding office of profit in contravention of the Puducherry Members of the Legislative Assembly (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1994, and its subsequent amendments enacted in terms of section 14 of the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963. He had approached the President of India to consider the matter, following which the President referred the matter to ECI.

According to the notice sent by ECI, the President on September 2, 2017, had sought the views from Election Commission of India on the complaint following which the commission sought an explanation from the eight legislators. Though the legislators submitted their explanation to the ECI on July 12, 2017, the commission found it not satisfactory.

The commission once again sent notice to legislators seeking more clarifications from them and to appear before the commission on September 27. ECI had also warned that action will be initiated against the eight legislators without any prior intimation if they fail to appear before the commission. While talking to reporters here Mr Sekar said that the legislators would be disqualified soon as they failed to give a satisfactory explanation to the commission.

"When the legislators are disqualified, Narayansamy government could no longer continue in power as they will lose the majority," said the former legislator.