Left members question Punchi Commission appointment

New Delhi, Apr 30 (UNI) The Left members in the Lok Sabha today came down heavily on the government questioning the appointment of the Centre-State Relations Commission, headed by former Chief Justice of India Madan Mohan Punchi, to review the ''basic nature of the Constitution'', and alleging that a ''ground is sought to be prepared to send central forces to states in the name of disturbances''.

They complained that such an important commission was appointed without proper consultation with the states.

However, Home Minister Shivraj Patil said the Punchi Commission was appointed in deference to a demand to this effect from several quarters in the context of the changing political, economic and internal security situations in the past 20 years. A similar Commission headed by Justice R S Sarkaria had submitted its recommendations two decades ago.

He said the Commission's recommendations would not be implemented straightaway.

As was the case with the Sarkaria Commission, the recommendations of the Punchi Commission would also be discussed with the Chief Ministers of states at the Inter-State Council. The Cabinet would then discuss the Commission's recommendations along with the suggestions of the Chief Ministers before implementation.

The issue was raked up by senior Marxist member Varkala Radhakrishnan who objected to one of the terms of reference of the commission to study the possibility of deployment of central forces in troubled areas.

This, according to him, tantamount to encroachment on the powers of states to deal with law and order problem.

He said it was doubtful whether the executive could appoint a commission to review the basic nature of the Constitution.

Mr Radhakrishnan was supported by Mr Francis George of the Kerala Congress (Joseph), a constituent of the ruling Left Democratic Front in Kerala.

He said some of the terms of reference of the Commission were so designed as to eventually add more powers to the Centre from the states.

He complained that the Centre had failed to take the states into confidence before appointing the Commission.

BJP Deputy leader V K Malhotra regretted that the Centre did not discuss the terms of reference of the Commission with the political parties.

The four-member Commission, which also includes as members former Home Secretaries Dhirendra Singh and V K Duggal and former Bangalore-Based National Law School Director Madhava Menon, was appointed by the Home Ministry on Friday last.

UNI