Punjab to move SC challenging signing of WTO pact

By Our Staff Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, OCT. 11. The Punjab Government would move the Supreme Court challenging the decision of the Union Government to sign the World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreement. It has been argued that the treaty would infringe on some executive and legislative powers contained in the State List of the Constitution.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Council of Ministers, chaired by the Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, after discussing the recommendations made by an expert committee, headed by internationally renowned economist, Prof. Y.K. Alagh, and the legal opinion of the State Advocate General, Mr. H.S. Mattewal.

The Punjab Government proposes to move the Supreme Court with a petition, under the Article 131 of the Constitution, to declare the negotiations carried out by the Union Government, in respect of the Dunkel Draft and the ``Final Act'' as unconstitutional. The State Government views that the negotiations ``have been conducted in a clandestine manner, under the unconscionable pressure and in disregard to the States' demands for consultation and consent.''

Also, the State Government would seek a declaration that the Union Government be bound to consult and provide full information to the States and obtain their consent before signing as well as proceeding for further negotiations regarding the Final Act. Directions would be sought to ensure that the Central Government makes a full, complete and comprehensive statement before the State legislatures regarding the contents of such international treaties.

However, the decision of the Government to move the Supreme Court smacks of the counter-offensive, launched by the ruling SAD-BJP alliance against the Congress party, which has been on the offensive. The development is seen as a major pre- poll strategy evolved by the Badal Government as the president of the Punjab unit of the Congress, Capt. Amarinder Singh, had committed himself in favour of the WTO agreement.

The State Government is of the opinion that the lifting of the quantitative restrictions would make it extremely difficult for the ``small farm economy'' of Punjab to compete with the ``large scientifically-managed farms'' of the developed countries.

Moreover, the State Government has noted that the Union Government, as per the provisions of the WTO, decided to switch from the ``command economy'' to the ``market economy''. But, it did not provide the necessary support structure to facilitate the change and protect the interests of the farmers and the domestic industry in the small scale and the tiny sectors, in the changed environment.

Among the other decisions adopted by the Council of Ministers were setting up of a separate directorate for elementary education, providing tax benefits to flour mills, brick kilns and transport sector.

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Section  : Other States
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