Key Legislations Unlikely To Be Enacted Soon

Enactment of key legislations like strengthening of anti-rape laws, land acquisition bill and Lokpal bill is likely to be delayed with some Opposition parties objecting to the present form of the proposed measures.

Some parties were opposed to these measures in their present form and were pressing for amendments, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath told reporters ahead of the Budget Session of Parliament beginning Thursday.

On the Criminal Laws Amendment Ordinance, promulgated by the government to strengthen anti-rape laws in the wake of the Delhi gangrape incident, some political parties insisted it should go through a standing or a select committee, he said.

Nath said there were also differences on the Lokpal bill despite the measure going through a standing committee and a select committee with some political parties opposing it today and wanted it to go through some more scrutiny.

There were also differences over the Food Security Bill, the Land Acquisition, Relief and Rehabilitation Bill, the Women's Reservation Bill and the bill to provide reservation in promotion for SC/STs, he said.

"Political parties are not a homogeneous lot. Concerns of one party may be a red rag for other parties," Nath said urging all parties not to scuttle or obstruct Parliament.

To questions on whether government wanted some of these measures to go the standing committee after having been scrutinised by another committee, his refrain was government would have to go by the sense of the House.

"All parties have their views and this is the essence of their views... Normally, it does not go (again) to such committees. We do not think it necessary to go to Standing Committee.. We have to go by the sense of the House," he said.

Nath, an MP for over 30 years, gave an ambivalent answer to a specific question whether he was confident that Women's Reservation bill and Lokpal bill would be passed during the tenure of the 15th Lok Sabha. Parliamentary polls are still 15 months away.

The argument of some parties was that if measures like criminal law amendment ordinance were passed hastily without giving much thought to the implications of the provisions, it would create havoc. Similar was their reasoning with the other key legislations including the land acquisition bill.

The criminal law amendment ordinance was promulgated by the government early this month after a committee headed by Justice J S Verma made a slew of recommendations for safety of women in the wake of the outrage over the Delhi gangrape.

Significantly, the meeting of Chief Whips saw representatives of smaller parties asking the government to take up only those measures on priority basis on which there was a consensus between the Congress and the BJP. Their contention was that only such measures could be passed which have the backing of the two major national parties.

The three-month-long session beginning from Thursday with President Pranab Mukherjee's Address, will have 34 sittings.

The session has a heavy legislative agenda, including getting Parliament nod to three ordinances, introduction of as many as 16 bills, consideration and passage of 35 bills.

These include the national food security bill, the criminal law amendment bill, reservation for SC/STs in promotion bill and a bill aimed at prevention and prohibition of sexual harassment of women at workplace. Besides, 13 items related to financial business, including discussions on General and Railway budgets, and budget for Jharkhand which is under President's Rule.

Nath appealed to all political parties to ensure smooth conduct of Parliament saying that members come to the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha to participate in discussion and not to scuttle and obstruct the proceedings. "Government is not in any way hesitant to discuss anything."

Besides discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President for his Address, Parliament will also take up a discussion on the Statutory Resolution seeking approval of imposition of President's rule in Jharkhand.

Emerging story. Watch this space for updates as more details come in
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Digression

1/D-124
Feb 19, 2013
11:27 PM

The elections of 2014 are not expected to give clear lead to any party, which means there would be a compromise government, euphemistically called coalition government.

In the interest of the nation all parties must understand where they are leading the country to.

We are facing acute financial problems and a very gloomy prognosis of growth in the coming year.

Unless mindful of all things the political parties apply their mind to country's interest, we are in for a very bad turn to the future we had begun looking up to with much hope in the last few years.

Atul Chandra, mUMBAI
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