dailyO
Politics

Shameless BJP may take ordinance route for Land Bill for fourth time

Advertisement
Kumar Shakti Shekhar
Kumar Shakti ShekharJul 20, 2015 | 21:27

Shameless BJP may take ordinance route for Land Bill for fourth time

The BJP-led NDA government at the centre is in an unenviable position on the controversial Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Second Ordinance, 2015, popularly known as Land Acquisition Bill. It has already promulgated the Bill thrice - on December 31, 2014; April 3 and May 30 - and, left with no other better option, it may promulgate it the fourth time, thus, creating a dubious record.

Advertisement

In recent times, only the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Ordinance was promulgated thrice and it was during the UPA rule in 2013. But Land Acquisition Bill is all set to surpass this despite the risks involved.

The ordinance seeks to amend the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 legislated during the UPA rule. The government seeks to do away with the hurdles in acquiring land for building infrastructure. Politically, it wants to be seen as investor-friendly, build infrastructure, like industrial corridors and smart cities, at the fastest possible pace and bolster Prime Minister Narendra Modi's image as a development leader. However, the opposition has alleged that the government is seeking to favour the industrialists.

Besides re-promulgating the ordinance, the Centre has two other options available with it. One, it can table the Bill and ensure its passage by convening a joint session of Parliament in the monsoon session. In this case, it would be criticised for bulldozing its will on the legislature. Two, it may allow the ordinance to lapse and not promulgate it again. This will cause immense embarrassment to the government. But even promulgating ordinance for the fourth time is fraught with risks.

Advertisement

Ordinances should be used sparsely and only in times of urgency. Article 123 of the Constitution empowers the president to promulgate ordinances only during recess of Parliament. It says: "If at any time, except when both Houses of Parliament are in session, the President is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary for him to take immediate action, he may promulgate such ordinance as the circumstances appear to him to require."

President Pranab Mukherjee reportedly expressed his displeasure when the Land Acquisition Ordinance was promulgated for the first time by the NDA government on December 31, 2014. Before he cleared it, he questioned the government's motive behind the hurried promulgation. The government has issued promulgation twice after that. There are chances that the president may refuse to grant his assent to the ordinance one more time.

Even if the president okays it, the opposition Congress will leave no stone unturned to put the government in the dock. It will accuse the Modi regime of lacking courage to face Parliament and ruling through the backdoor instead.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly termed the Bill "anti-farmer". Addressing a meeting of party functionaries in Jaipur on July 17, he took a dig at Modi and said the "56-inch-chest" would be reduced to a "5.6-inch-chest". With Bihar going to polls later this year, the Congress will try to derive maximum political mileage out of the government's move to re-promulgate the Land Acquisition Ordinance. This will have the potential to severely damage the prospects of the NDA to win elections in the predominantly agrarian Bihar.

Advertisement
Last updated: July 20, 2015 | 21:27
IN THIS STORY
Please log in
I agree with DailyO's privacy policy