PR Act amendment passed

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, MARCH 22. In an unprecedented move, the ruling Congress(I) in the Karnataka Assembly today passed, amidst pandemonium, an important amendment Bill to the Panchayat Raj Act. The Bill takes away the State Election Commission's powers to make reservation in the posts of presidents and vice- presidents of the taluk and zilla panchayats, elections for which are due in April- May.

Even as the entire Opposition, led by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Jagadish Shettar, was staging a dharna in the well of the House against the introduction of the Bill, it was passed without discussion.

With the passage of the Bill, the power to make reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes and Women in the posts of presidents and vice-presidents vests with the Government. The Deputy Commissioners and Divisional Commissioners will now make the reservation in these posts.

The Opposition, shocked by the ruling party's move, described it as a ``black day'' in the history of the Karnataka Legislature and said it would not cooperate with the Government.

The passage of the Bill was swift and was over within 30 minutes when the House met at 3-45 p.m. The Opposition, which began a dharna in the well of the House when the Bill was introduced yesterday, continued the protest today when the House met at 11 a.m.

When the House was adjourned and met again at 1-45 p.m. the Opposition continued the dharna. The Speaker, Mr. M. V. Venkatappa, adjourned the House to meet again at 3-30 pm.

The House met at 3-45 p.m. but there was no change in the scenario. At one point, the leader of the JD(U) group, Mr. P. G. R. Sindhia, made an attempt to reiterate the Opposition stand that the Bill was anti-democratic as it took away the powers given to the Election Commission to make reservations in the posts of the presidents and vice- presidents. He said it was the previous Janata Dal Government which gave away the power to the Election Commission to check the politicisation of the panchayat raj system.

The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Shettar, described the move as anti-democratic and demanded that it be dropped.

The Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr. D. B. Chandre Gowda, tried to justify the move, but he was not allowed to speak.

When the Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Mr. M. Y. Ghorpade, made an attempt to explain the objectives of the amendment Bill, he was shouted down by the Opposition. The Speaker intervened and asked Mr. Ghorpade to move the Bill and declared that the Minister had given his reply to a discussion which did not take place. The Speaker went ahead and declared the Bill passed amidst pandemonium. He then adjourned the House for the day.

It may be recalled that the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act, 1993 vested the powers in the Government determining the number of elected members, reservation of seats and offices of adhyaksha and upadhyaksha (president and vice president) of taluk and zilla panchayats.

The Janata Dal Government through an amendment in 1997 entrusted the power to the State Election Commission.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Regional
Previous : Eight elected unopposed to R.S. from Bihar
Next     : Total deficit to touch Rs. 201 cr.