DMK's Raja writes to Lok Sabha speaker, Waqf panel chief to postpone JPC meetings to January 30, 31

The DMK MP noted that it is practically impossible for the members to recollect the evidence and materials essentially needed for the moving of the amendments and discussion on the waqf bill on such a short notice.
DMK Lok Sabha MP and member of parliamentary panel on Waqf bill A Raja.
DMK Lok Sabha MP and member of parliamentary panel on Waqf bill A Raja.FILE | ANI
Updated on
2 min read

As the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill is set to hold the last round of meetings on January 24- 25, DMK MP A Raja on Wednesday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and panel chairman on behalf of all Opposition Parties seeking the postponing of the JPC sittings to the 30th and 31st of this month.

As reported by TNIE on Tuesday, Raja, in his letter addressed to panel head Jagadambika Pal, said that the Opposition members conveyed to the chairman their inability to submit the amendments on such short notice during Tuesday's meeting in Lucknow and demanded that the meeting be postponed.

The letter further stated that unless the sittings of the JPC is postponed, the purpose of the Constitution of the JPC itself will be defeated as it raises doubts in the minds of the people of India that the secular fabrics of the Constitution embodied in its preamble itself are endangered and the due process in conducting the JPC is also not followed.

The DMK leader said in his letter that the JPC's tour programmes to meet the stakeholders at Patna, Kolkata, and Lucknow were completed only on Tuesday and the members were dispersed from the tour programme to their constituency / States to continue their scheduled programmes earlier.

He further said, “It is very strange that the next dates for sitting of JPC were hurriedly announced without any formal discussion when the JPC was already on tour,”

“Even during the sitting of JPC at Lucknow itself it was requested by the members that the proposed sittings on 24th and 25th of this month are practically not possible as the members are expected to discharge their duties/programmes in the locality,” he pointed out.

The members are not in a position to recollect the evidences or materials in such short notice which are essentially needed for moving the Amendments and discussion thereon, said the letter.

“You have directed the stakeholders whoparticipated in the tour programme at Patna, Kolkata and Lucknow to submit their views and submissions in writing within seven days and the committee is waiting for the same for circulation," he said.

"Hence, it was requested by most of the members at Lucknow sitting (21.01.2025) that the proposed sittings of JPC on 24th and 25th have to be necessarily postponed on 30th (full day) and 31st of this month after the Presidential Address in the Parliament,” he added

The chairman has positively responded to the request, said the DMK leader.

“I sincerely recall that you have reacted to the request that it will be considered positively after consultation with the Government realising the justification offered by us for the postponement” he said.

The members of the panel were informed through an official communication on Monday late evening that the committee will begin clause-by-clause discussion on the proposed amendments in two sittings on January 24 - 25. The members have also been asked to submit notices of the various amendments to the legislation by January 22.

Related Stories

No stories found.

X
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com