VIJAYAWADA: Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Majahan’s declaration that the private member’s bill - seeking special category status to AP - moved by Congress leader KVP Ramachandra Rao in the Rajya Sabha in March is not a money bill, has come as a shot in the arm for the party.
“It is a major victory for the Congress,” former union minister Jairam Ramesh claimed.
However, the Rajya Sabha Chairman, while informing the members of the Speaker’s decision, clarified that the Secretary-General of the Lower House had opined that it was a financial bill and hence, could only be introduced in the Lok Sabha.
Jairam Ramesh criticised the Rajya Sabha Chair for disregarding the Speaker’s opinion and closing the discussion on the bill based on the views of the Lok Sabha Secretary-General. KVP had on March 12 moved the bill for an amendment to the AP State Reorganisation Act 2014 in a bid to get special category status to the State incorporated in it, cornering the BJP, which is not in majority in the House of Elders.
On August 5, after a heated debate in the Rajya Sabha, Finance Minister Arun Jailtley had declared that Rajya Sabha had no authority to decide on the ‘money bill’. His logic was that it was a money bill since it sought an amendment to the Reorganisation Act and he suggested that it be referred to the Lok Sabha Speaker. Amidst protests from Congress members, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien had referred the bill to the Lok Sabha Speaker. The BJP and even the TDP had patted themselves for foiling the attempts of the Congress to embarrass the NDA in the Rajya Sabha.
But on Friday, the Speaker conveyed her decision that the bill was not a money bill within the meaning of Article 110 of the Constitution. Announcing her decision, Kurien, however, said the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha had expressed the opinion that in view of the provision in the bill for establishment of a separate High Court for AP, it appeared to deal with a matter specified in sub-clause (e) of clause (1) of Article 110 of the Constitution and therefore, it being a financial bill of category A, can be introduced in the Lok Sabha only.