New Delhi, July 26
The draft of the Representation of the People Amendment Bill has hit a serious roadblock, necessitating the BJP-led NDA government to convene an all-party meeting here tomorrow to discuss certain provisions which opposition parties find unacceptable.
Even as NDA leaders affirm that they have taken a “positive stand” on criminalisation of politics, the opposition believes there is a need for comprehensive legislation in this regard, taking into account various reports of Parliament, especially that of the Ethics Committee and the Dinesh Goswami committee on electoral reforms.
Though the Congress is yet to give its structured response to the Vajpayee government, other opposition parties are against the provision on disqualification on the basis of charges framed.
Authoritative sources say the endeavour of the NDA government is to give a legislative response to the order of the Supreme Court and that of the Election Commission. This has become imperative to stop what is characterised as the “mafiosi taking over the country’s polity.”
The draft Bill, circulated among all the political parties and groups in Parliament, has been found to be inadequate, with severe lacunae in dealing with criminalisation of politics.
Left parties, the Samajwadi Party and the RJD have strongly opposed the provision pertaining to disqualification on the basis of charges framed.
The Congress president has constituted a committee to study the draft Bill in its entirety and make its recommendations to the party high command.
Union Minister of State for Law Ravi Shankar Prasad has been liaising closely with opposition parties in a bid to remove their misgivings and incorporate their suggestions.
The government argues that the draft bill has incorporated the necessary safeguards against distortions that can occur, besides listing what it considers as heinous offences. It is contended that the draft Bill goes beyond the Supreme Court judgement.
The draft bill has two important components. It nullifies the Supreme Court and
Election
Commission directives and states that the candidates do not have to make any disclosures not included in the law as it stands.It disqualifies those candidates who, six months prior to filing their nominations, have been charged by a competent court with having committed crimes listed in the draft Bill. It appears unlikely that the Bill will come up in the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament.
Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani will chair the meeting and will be assisted by Union Law Minister Jana Krishnamurthy and Minister of State for Law Ravi Shankar Prasad.
