NEW DELHI, Feb 28:
The much-anticipated anti-graft ordinances being pushed by Rahul Gandhi were today put off by the Union Cabinet.
The Cabinet which met for nearly two hours decided to postpone the ordinances amid speculation that its special meeting could be held early next week on the issue.
There was, however, no official word on it by the Government.
As soon as the Cabinet had taken up the packed agenda for the day, Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth announced that items relating to the ordinances stand “postponed”, sources said.
The sources said ordinances on Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill and Right of Citizens for Time-Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill – both dealing with corruption – were on the agenda.
These are among the anti-corruption bills being pushed by Rahul Gandhi to create a “framework” to fight graft.
These proposed legislations could not be passed during the extended Winter Session of Parliament due to disturbances.
Along with these, the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, Rights of Persons with Disability Bill, Security Laws (Amendment) Bill and Delhi High Court Act (Amendment) Bill were also on the agenda.
The Law Ministry had sent notes with all the ordinances on whether the reasons given by various ministries to promulgate the executive orders were acceptable to the Union Cabinet. The reason was that often ordinances have to withstand judicial scrutiny.
As Parliament session came to an end on February 21 and five of the six anti-graft measures being spearheaded by Gandhi failed to see the light of the day, the Congress Vice President had launched a blistering attack on the Opposition and had said that he would discuss with the party leadership regarding the option of ordinance route to push the measures.
Rahul Gandhi had said he had talked to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi on taking the ordinance route.
Addressing a group of civil rights activists, Gandhi had said, “I have heard what you are saying about the ordinance. I have already had discussions with the leaders in my party and we are going to try and see that we can manage that. Let us see if the ordinance can be brought or not.”
The bills that Gandhi was seeking to push through included Public Procurement Bill, Citizens Charter Bill, a bill dealing with Bribery of Foreign Officials and Prevention of Corruption Act (Amendment)Bill besides the Whistleblower Bill, which was passed by Parliament.
Government, the sources said, decided against brining ordinance on Public Procurement Bill and the one dealing with bribery of foreign officials citing technicalities.
While the Whistleblowers protection bill and the Street Vendors Bill have been passed, three more consensus bills are pending—Grievance Redress Bill, Disability Bill and SC/ST PoA Amendment Bill. These could not be passed in the last session of the 15th Lok Sabha.
Rahul Gandhi had assured protesters, who were demanding that the laws be enacted, on the issue of promulgating ordinances. He had said the Government will do its best to have ordinances notified as he understood the importance and urgency of these bills. (PTI)
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