Human Resource & Department Minister Smriti Irani qualification row escalates

New Delhi: A fresh controversy over human resources development minister Smriti Irani surfaced on Wednesday with her poll affidavits in 2004 and 2014 showing discrepancies in her academic qualifications.

In an election affidavit filed by Ms Irani in 2004, she said that she had completed her B.A. in 1996 from Delhi University’s School of Correspondence. But in the affidavit that she filed ahead of the 2014 general election, Ms Irani said she had completed B.Com. Part I in 1994 from Delhi University’s School of Open Learning.

Ms Irani could not be contacted all through Wednesday for her reaction. In 2012, the Supreme Court had ruled that false disclosures in an affidavit could be a ground for rejection of a candidate’s nomination. Ms Irani is a sitting Rajya Sabha member.

In her member’s page on the Rajya Sabha website, she has listed her academic qualifications thus, “Educated at Holy Child Auxilium, Delhi, and School of Correspondence and Continuing Education, University of Delhi, Delhi.”