6th February, 2014
Look at the journey the laws (or the proposed laws) undertake. The Communal Violence Bill (officially The Prevention of Communal Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill, 2014) was listed for Introduction in the Rajya Sabha yesterday but was deferred. There were strong objections that it encroached on the States' jurisdiction detailed in List II of the Constitution. For how long the Bill would remain deferred, can be anybody's guess. Today, the CPI (M) Group in Parliament explained that the Government had several years to prepare an acceptable Bill. This Bill was part of the Common Minimum Programme on the basis of which the CPI (M) had given crucial outside support to the UPA for its Government formation in 2004!
What is the truth? There is no law at present on the compensation to be given to victims of communal violence. The victims are at the mercy of the Government to give whatever compensation it wants to give. The Bill was intended to fill this gap. India is one of the highest legislated nations in the world. Still, several crucial areas are left out!
Or they are governed by outdated laws -- like the Aircraft Act of 1934 for the civil aviation sector. The Parliamentary Standing Committee which studied The Civil Aviation Authority of India Bill, 2013, submitted report on 6th February, 2014 (today) to say the Bill was hurriedly drafted, and the Government must have a re look at it, and should not go for piecemeal approach on such a vital subject. The Standing Committee heard hundreds of stakeholders before reaching its conclusion. Unfortunately, the Standing Committee reports are only recommendatory, and it is not mandatory for the Government to accept them. Mini-Parliament, the Committees are called!
Look at the journey the laws (or the proposed laws) undertake. The Communal Violence Bill (officially The Prevention of Communal Violence (Access to Justice and Reparations) Bill, 2014) was listed for Introduction in the Rajya Sabha yesterday but was deferred. There were strong objections that it encroached on the States' jurisdiction detailed in List II of the Constitution. For how long the Bill would remain deferred, can be anybody's guess. Today, the CPI (M) Group in Parliament explained that the Government had several years to prepare an acceptable Bill. This Bill was part of the Common Minimum Programme on the basis of which the CPI (M) had given crucial outside support to the UPA for its Government formation in 2004!
What is the truth? There is no law at present on the compensation to be given to victims of communal violence. The victims are at the mercy of the Government to give whatever compensation it wants to give. The Bill was intended to fill this gap. India is one of the highest legislated nations in the world. Still, several crucial areas are left out!
Or they are governed by outdated laws -- like the Aircraft Act of 1934 for the civil aviation sector. The Parliamentary Standing Committee which studied The Civil Aviation Authority of India Bill, 2013, submitted report on 6th February, 2014 (today) to say the Bill was hurriedly drafted, and the Government must have a re look at it, and should not go for piecemeal approach on such a vital subject. The Standing Committee heard hundreds of stakeholders before reaching its conclusion. Unfortunately, the Standing Committee reports are only recommendatory, and it is not mandatory for the Government to accept them. Mini-Parliament, the Committees are called!
No comments:
Post a Comment