[Looks like some backroom deals have been cut, that's, apparently, pretty unfortunate. But the prospects of the Land Bill - the centrepiece of all these bills, still appear rather dim.]
I/III. http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/govt-optimistic-on-all-bills-but-land/ Govt optimistic on all bills but land Written by Pradeep Kaushal | New Delhi | Updated: March 12, 2015 1:35 am The government hopes to pass all bills that replace ordinances by the time Parliament adjourns, except the land bill. This optimism set in after Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley met floor leaders of parties this morning. If the government is able to hold its timeline vis-a-vis the mines and coal bills, reports of select panels will be in within a week and the bills will be passed by March 20. "Even two days will do for consideration and passage," a source said. They felt more than ensuring changes, the Opposition wanted to expose government's vulnerability. That achieved, the Opposition, they hoped, may now let both bills pass. The Centre has lined up the insurance amendment bill for Rajya Sabha for tomorrow. While the Left remains against it, the Congress is not as firm, the UPA having brought in the original in 2008. A Congress source said, "We are not opposed as such. We are opposed to the way this government tried to bypass Parliament. This bill has already gone through a select committee." The government may not call a joint sitting, for it would pave the way for another confrontation. RS pendency not an LS roadblock: Kurien New Delhi: Rajya Sabha deputy chairman P J Kurien ruled a bill can be introduced in Lok Sabha even if a previous bill on the same subject is pending approval or rejection in Rajya Sabha. Opposition MPs had, on March 3, asked for a ruling on this, protesting against the government move to introduce the insurance bill in Lok Sabha when a similar legislation was pending in Rajya Sabha. "After going through the provisions of the Constitution and Rules of Procedure relating to the conditions and procedure to be followed from the stage of introduction to passing of a bill in Rajya Sabha, I could not find any provision either in the Constitution or in the Rules, which prohibits the introduction, passing of a bill in the Lok Sabha substantially identical to a bill already pending in Rajya Sabha," Kurien said."...I, therefore, reiterate what I had said... neither this House nor the Chair has any jurisdiction over the functioning of the other House and vice versa."(ENS) II/III. http://www.firstpost.com/business/race-time-coal-mines-bills-go-panels-govt-may-clear-path-pass-2149281.html ace against time: Coal, Mines bills go to panels but govt may have clear path to pass them by FP Politics Mar 12, 2015 09:43 IST Two key bills aimed at reforming coal and mines sectors were delayed as these were referred to separate committees of Parliament on Wednesday but the government has reportedly struck a deal to ensure a smoother path for them in the Rajya Sabha. The Select Committees, set up by the Rajya Sabha, were asked to submit their reports by March 18, two days before Parliament goes for a month-long recess in the Budget session. However, given that a deal has been struck with the Opposition parties the government is reportedly considering extending the session by a day in order to pass these legislations. The two bills were sent to the select committees after the opposition agreed to withdraw motions to defeat the bills in the Upper House, reported the Indian Express. Reuters imageCan Parliament pass the two legislation in time? Reuters image The Times of India reported that the 8-day tight deadline set for the select committees is being seen as a victory for the Modi government as in the past such committes taken as long as a couple of years to arrive at a conclusion. If the committees give their recommendations on the designated date, it gives the government two days to debate the bills and then send it back to the Lok Sabha if any amendments are made. The government can consider delaying the budget session break by a day because the two ordinances are set to lapse in early April and Parliament would convene again only on 20 April. Another legislation which may get the go ahead thanks to the pact between the opposition and the government is the Insurance Laws Amendment Bill that has also been stuck in the Upper House of Parliament. The Congress has reportedly already agreed to approve the Insurance Laws Amendment Bill to allow greater FDI in the insurance sector. The legislation was originally moved by the UPA government and has been brought back by the NDA government with tweaks. The NDA government has reportedly managed to win over the parties that were not aligned with the Congress on the coal and mines bills. While the Trinamool Congress and Biju Janata Dal are reportedly backing the coal mines bill, parties like the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Janata Dal (United) are in support of the deadline for the select committees. The government had earlier bowed to the Opposition and agreed to refer the two bills to the Select Committees after it faced the prospect of yet another embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha. However, the BJP had a minor victory in the formation of the committees as well with its leaders heading the two Parliamentary panels. The 19-member select committee to look into the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015 is being chaired by Bhupender Yadav of BJP. The select committee to look into the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill, 2015, will be headed by Anil Madhav Dave of BJP. However, while the government is inching towards victory in passing these legislation, it doesn't mean the contentious Land Bill will have an easier path in the Upper House of Parliament. The opposition parties have shown no signs of breaking ranks on the matter but the BJP may not mind putting the legislation on the backburner for now in the interest of all the other legislation that it would like to see passed quickly. III. http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/coal-and-mines-bills-opposition-gets-panels-govt-hope/ Coal and Mines bills: Opposition gets panels, govt hope Written by Amitabh Sinha | New Delhi | Published on:March 12, 2015 1:32 am The government Wednesday agreed to refer two contentious bills to a select committee of Parliament for consultation, in exchange of withdrawal of motions by Opposition to defeat the bills. As part of the understanding reached with the government, the Opposition parties in Rajya Sabha also allowed passage of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, that seeks to legalise the operation of e-rickshaws. The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015 and the Coal Mines Special Provisions Bill, 2015 were referred to two separate select committees with the instruction that these be returned to the House within seven days, not later than March 18. This would give the government two days to get the bill debated and passed in Rajya Sabha before the Parliament goes into recess on March 20. If the select committee makes changes in the bills, it would have to be passed again by Lok Sabha. The ordinances these two bills are supposed to replace will lapse in early April. The second half of the current session of Parliament is set to begin only on April 20. Both these bills have been passed by Lok Sabha. A resolution against the vehicles bill was withdrawn, paving the way for its passage. "We had a problem only with the ordinance route taken. We otherwise do not have any objections to the changes," T Subbarami Reddy of the Congress said while withdrawing his resolution on the bill. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
