[The three news stories below - all the three presumably motivated leaks, make for an amusing and interesting reading. A graphic illustration of the reigning confusions. One thing, however, stands out clear and loud that that the policy of "Sam Dam Dand Bhed", in this particular case at least, has as yet proved ineffective. Nor it looks too promising.
***The essential issue is that if the Modi regime fails to get the bill through, it'll suffer severe loss of face and credibility. The much boasted 56" chest would shrink to 36", if not 26. But if it flounders in an attempt to bulldoze, that'd be an even greater disaster.*** *The other point which is not being discussed at all is the role of the President in repromulgation of the controversial ordinance. It is yet to be finally tested how pliable he opts to be.*] I/III. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/fate-of-land-ordinance-hangs-in-balance/article7032629.ece Fate of Land Ordinance hangs in balance Our Bureau Bill is set to lapse on April 5; Govt may make renewed effort in Rajya Sabha New Delhi, March 25: The Cabinet has given its 'post facto' approval to 9 amendments made in the Land Bill during its consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha earlier this month. The Lok Sabha approved the amended Bill which is now pending in the Rajya Sabha. But, a final call on fate of the Ordinance will be taken by the Cabinet subsequently, according to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday. The Ordinance is set to lapse on April 5 as first leg of the Budget session of Parliament failed to approve the legislation. The Government is expected to push the Bill in the Rajya Sabha during second phase of the budget session starting April 20. Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and Rural Development Minister Rao Birendra Singh tried to curb speculation that the Government will let the Ordinance lapse. Opposition parties and even some allies are trying to block the passage of Land Bill. The Government is in minority in the Rajya Sabha which will make the passage difficult. If the Ordinance lapses, farmers will not get enhanced compensation for their land acquired especially for 18 exempted sectors such as metro projects. The Government can recommend re- promulgation of the Ordinance to the President, but that can be done even if one of the two houses of Parliament is prorogued (formal end of the Budget session). In another event, Naidu said, "I have seen in certain quarters today that Land Acquisition Ordinance may be allowed to lapse. These are speculations. Government has not taken any such decision to allow Land Acquisition Ordinance to lapse." He also mentioned that whatever is needed to be done will be done by the Government at an appropriate time. According to reports from Chandigarh, Union Rural Development Minister said the Government is likely to make another effort for a consensus on the Land Bill with opposition parties and might re promulgate the ordinance. "We are thinking of making one more attempt and talk to other political parties so that we may have a consensus. As everyone is aware Land Acquisition Ordinance will expire on April 5, may be we will have to issue re-ordinance," he was quoted as saying. (This article was published on March 25, 2015) II/III. http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/govt-can-re-promulgate-land-ordinance-endlessly-115032500951_1.html Govt can re-promulgate land ordinance endlessly The Constitution does not specify the number of times an ordinance can be re-promulgated Archis Mohan | New Delhi March 25, 2015 Last Updated at 19:30 IST The government, averse to proroguing one of the Houses of Parliament, is likely to let the land ordinance lapse on April 5. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his senior ministers favour re-promulgating the ordinance once the Parliament session concludes on May 8. It is likely that the government might re-promulgate the ordinance endlessly every six months. The Constitution does not specify the number of times an ordinance can be re-promulgated. The government had promulgated the land ordinance, aimed at amending the 2013 Land Act, in end December. A bill to replace the land ordinance was passed by the Lok Sabha on March 10, but is yet to be introduced in the Rajya Sabha. An ordinance has a life of six months but lapses if not approved within six weeks of the commencement of a Parliament session. An ordinance also cannot be promulgated if either of the two Houses is in session, including in the scenario when the Houses are observing a break. The first half of the budget session of Parliament started on February 23 and went in for a month long break on March 20 before the second half convenes on April 20. The six weeks of the Land Bill expire on April 6. The session ends on May 8. According to constitutional experts like Subhash C Kashyap, the government can re-promulgate the ordinance the very day and that too with retrospective effect, which is from the day the ordinance lapsed on April 6. There is also nothing in the Constitution that bars re-promulgating an ordinance endlessly, Kashyap says. Other options with the government include proroguing, that is ending, one of the two Houses to facilitate re-promulgating the ordinance with immediate effect from April 6. As for the legislative process, the government can introduce the bill in the Rajya Sabha when the Houses meet after the break. The government is in a minority in the Rajya Sabha and can expect the Opposition to insist that the bill be sent to a select committee. It can also await the Opposition to defeat the Bill. This will pave the way for convening a joint sitting of Parliament to ensure the passage of the bill. But the joint sitting mechanism is also tricky if the Shiv Sena, which has opposed the bill, joins the ranks of a united opposition in voting against it. The National Democratic Alliance, without the Sena, has less than half the seats of the two Houses combined. According to people in the know, the option of re-promulgating the ordinance looks most realistic given that Prime Minister Modi is committed to the land bill. Senior government ministers held a meeting at the PM's residence on Tuesday evening to chart out future strategy on the issue. "People are judging the potential impact of the bill sitting in big cities without realising the thirst for development among the youth of smaller towns and villages. People had made fun of Modi ji when he had promised 24x7 power supply to towns and villages of Gujarat but had to eat crow when his government made it a reality," Shrikant Sharma, BJP national secretary, said reflecting the government and BJP's conviction that the land bill was a panacea to the lack of hospitals, schools, roads, power supply, check dams, irrigation and other development that ails large parts of India. The BJP has put in place a team of dozen spokesperson in every state to reach out to the media, while it expects its nine crore newly made party members to talk to farmers that the land bill was as much about making agriculture more profitable by providing better irrigation facilities as it was for job generation for their children. The prospect of losing Bihar assembly because of opposition propaganda on land acquisition does not worry the Modi government. The PM wants to go into the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with development that he can show on the ground, and he is convinced that the land bill or ordinance is essential for him to achieve all that he promised in the 2014 elections. Land ordinance options Allow it to lapse on April 5, re-promulgate in back date when session concludes on May 8 Re-promulgate it endlessly while keeping it in abeyance in RS Prorogue one House by April 5 to re-promulgate with immediate effect Introduce in RS, call joint session if bill defeated III. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/land-bill-government-mulling-various-options-like-issuing-ordinance-by-proroguing-one-of-the-houses/articleshow/46692304.cms Land bill: Government mulling various options like issuing ordinance by proroguing one of the Houses By PTI | 25 Mar, 2015, 09.31PM IS NEW DELHI: Battling strident opposition to the land bill in Rajya Sabha where it lacks numbers, Government is mulling various options like issuing ordinance by proroguing one of the Houses, though there is also a strong view that it should be allowed to lapse unless a consensus builds. For the time being, Government is sticking with nine amendments that it had brought in the bill during its passage in Lok Sabha earlier this month. Union Cabinet today gave "post facto approval to those amendments. "We had given some amendments. The Cabinet has today given post facto approval to those amendments," Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters at the Cabinet briefing. He was asked whether the issue of land bill came up for discussion at the Cabinet meeting. "We have informed you about all Cabinet decisions," was the reply of another minister Piyush Goyal, who declined to go into the issue of land bill. Sources in the government meanwhile said that that there have been instances in past when ordinances were issued on pending bills even when Parliament was in session in some way. "There are instances of ordinances issued when the Lok Sabha was in session but the Rajya Sabha was not in session and the bill on the subject matter was pending before Parliament. "Similarly there are also instances of ordinances issued after the Rajya Sabha was prorogued and the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die but not had not been prorogued, the sources in the government said. This means that the government has the option of proroguing one of the Houses during the ongoing session and repromulgating the ordinance. Sources cited six examples from the past when ordinances were promulgated when one of the Houses was prorogued. The thinking in the government has come at a time when its efforts to build a consensus on land bill has failed with most of non-NDA parties opposing the measure tooth and nail even as Government brought nine amendments in its earlier bill to replace the ordinance. While the NDA, which has more than a majority in Lok Sabha passed the bill with nine amendments, it is finding it impossible to get it through in Rajya Sabha where numbers are stacked against it. Amid the on-going suspense on the fate of the bill, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the Cabinet will take a call on it. "You will have to wait for the Cabinet to take a decision," he said at The Growth Net' event here. Cabinet, he said, "will take a call" on the entire issue. Giving details, the sources said that that the Travancore-Cochin Approporiation (Vote on Account) Ordinance, 1956 was promulgated by the President on March 31 that year two days after the Bill was passed on March 29. Similarly the Essential Services Maintenance Ordinance 1957 was promulgated on August 7 after the bill was passed by Lok Sabha on August 6. The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Conti Continuance Ordinance was promulgated on April 2 1964 even as a bill to replace the Executive Order was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25 in the same year. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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