Modi Govt not to rush to ratify Prez rule in Arunachal Pradesh

New Delhi, Feb 9: Unlike other Presidential proclamations, government will not rush to ratify President's Rule in Arunachal Pradesh in the Budget session of Parliament, with the matter pending before the Supreme Court.

It will wait for the Supreme Court to deliver its verdict in the matter before moving for the ratification in the session beginning February 23.

Generally, such proclamations as also Ordinances are taken up on a priority basis for consideration. As per Article 356 of the Constitution, the proclamation of President's Rule will cease to operate within two months unless "it has been approved by resolutions of both Houses of Parliament".

President's Rule was imposed in Arunachal Pradesh on January 26 following political instability in the state.

"Passage of resolutions in both Houses to ratify the proclamation of President's Rule is our priority. But we will have to wait for the Supreme Court to deliver its verdict on the issue," a senior government functionary said.

"When the matter is before the apex court, we cannot get a resolution ratifying President's Rule passed," he said.

If the resolution is moved, the government will face challenge for its passage in the Rajya Sabha where it lacks the numbers.

The Law Ministry, meanwhile, is in two minds on whether to go for an ordinance or bring a Bill in the coming session to amend two electoral laws to allow the Election Commission carry out a limited delimitation exercise in West Bengal to accord voting rights to people who came to live in the country following exchange of enclaves between India and Bangladesh.

The term of the 294-member West Bengal Assembly ends on May 29 and elections are likely to be held before that. EC wants a month's time for undertaking delimitation exercise.

This has made the Law Ministry jittery on whether the bill to amend the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and the Delimitation Act, 2002 could be passed by March.

The Parliamentary Affairs Ministry is learnt to have suggested against bringing an ordinance at a time when the session schedule has been announced.

Since the bill is not controversial and extends voting rights to people who have just become Indian citizens, it feels that the bill can be passed in the initial days of the Budget session.

PTI