M A I N   N E W S

Post FDI, govt to push graft, banking Bills
K V Prasad/TNS

other measures under review Lok Sabha is scheduled to consider the Banking Law (Amendment) Bill that seeks to exempt bank mergers from the scrutiny of Competition Commission of India. Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Bill having been passed in the Lok Sabha on November 29, the Finance Minister is scheduled to move it for consideration and passage by the Rajya Sabha Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of International Organisations Bill, which the Government plans to move in the Lok Sabha. SP-BSP clash on the cards The Government has listed the Constitutional Amendment (117th) Bill for Monday. Previous attempts have sparked protests from the SP which is opposed to the proposal to provide for reservation to scheduled castes/scheduled tribes in promotions. The BSP chief Mayawati has been insisting that the BIll be passed and her party is lobbying for support.

New Delhi, December 9
Fresh from securing approval of Parliament on the contentious FDI in retail trade, the Manmohan Singh Government plans to test its fortunes on pushing forward legislative agenda, including reforms in financial sector, anti-graft measures and a Constitutional Amendment Bill to provide for reservation in promotion with the latter proving to be a challenge.

The Government has listed a clutch of Bills in either House of Parliament for discussion and passage with Monday's list of business showing the Lok Sabha scheduled to consider the Banking Law (Amendment) Bill that seeks to exempt bank mergers from the scrutiny of Competition Commission of India and allow RBI to approve it. It also proposes that voting rights of shareholders of private banks be made proportionate to their shareholding rights as against existing ceiling of 10 per cent.

The Bill has been scrutinised by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance headed by Yashwant Sinha (BJP) and the Government is pinning its hope that with the support of the principal party in the opposition the Bill can be passed even though the Left parties are opposed to it. “We will have to see if the BJP now supports the Government, in which case it will expose BJP's hypocrisy”, said CPI leader D Raja told.

Having successfully piloted the Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha on November 29, the Finance Minister is scheduled to move it for consideration and passage by the Rajya Sabha on Monday. Among other things, it proposed to expand the definition of offence to include activities like concealment, acquisition, possession and the use of proceeds of crime.

However, much would depend on whether the upper house can function without disruption since the Government has listed the Constitutional Amendment (117th) Bill for tomorrow once again. Previous attempts have sparked protests from the Samajwadi Party which is opposed to the proposal to provide for reservation to scheduled castes/scheduled tribes in promotions.

Although the Bill was introduced in the monsoon session in the Rajya Sabha, there has been no forward movement on the proposed legislation that the BSP chief Mayawati has been insisting be passed and her party is lobbying for support.

Earlier this year in the M Nagaraj versus Union of India case, the Supreme Court struck down validity of earlier constitutional amendments observing that concerned state will have to show in each case the existence of the compelling reasons, namely, backwardness, inadequacy of representation and overall administrative efficiency before making provision for reservation in promotion.

The Government has said there is difficulty in collection of quantifiable data showing backwardness of the class and inadequacy of representation of that class in public employment and that there is uncertainty on the methodology of this exercise.

The other Bill on the list of business includes Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill passed by the Lok Sabha on November 30. In the Lok Sabha, the Government plans to move the Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of International Organisations Bill in line with its international obligation as a signatory to United National Convention against Corruption on December 9, 2005 observed as Anti-Corruption Day.