CHANDIGARH: Senior Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Sunday urged the Punjab government and Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan to extend the assembly session to allow adequate discussion on six Bills listed for consideration.
Kaira notred that the Bills, which include proposals related to three digital universities, GST, outsourced and contractual employees and common infrastructure, have been introduced at the fag end of the session.
He questioned how legislation with potentially far-reaching implications could be properly examined, debated and passed on the last working day of the session.
"The legislators should be given sufficient time to study the Bills, consult stakeholders, seek clarifications from departments and propose amendments in the larger public interest. How can six new laws having far-reaching implications for Punjab be properly scrutinised, debated and passed on the last working day? This is not meaningful parliamentary democracy,” Khaira said in a statement.
"The Vidhan Sabha is not a rubber stamp for the Cabinet. The purpose of the legislature is to scrutinise legislation clause by clause, debate its merits and demerits and protect the interests of the people of Punjab,” the Bholath MLA said.
Khaira said bringing important legislation at the eleventh hour leaves MLAs with little opportunity to understand its provisions and assess their possible impact.
He said the AAP government should remember the laws were not temporary political announcements and, once enacted, could affect institutions, employees, students, businesses and citizens for years.
Khaira particularly questioned the need to introduce three separate Digital University Bills along with other major legislative proposals at the end of the session, saying that the government must explain why these matters could not have been brought before the House earlier to allow adequate discussion.
“Punjab has already suffered enormously because of poorly conceived and hurried decisions. The future of Punjab cannot be legislated through a ticking clock. If the government genuinely believes these Bills are in Punjab’s interest, it should have no hesitation in extending the session and allowing a full and meaningful debate,” Khaira said.
He appealed to Speaker Sandhwan to uphold the dignity of the legislature by providing adequate time for discussion instead of allowing important Bills to be passed merely to complete the government’s legislative agenda.
“I appeal to the government and the Speaker: extend the session. Give MLAs time to read, understand, debate and amend these Bills. Passing six new laws in haste on the last day is nothing but a cruel joke with the future of Punjab.” Khaira said.