BHUBANESWAR: Even as there is a possibility that the Centre will consider the ruling BJD’s demand for passage of the Bill approving the establishment of the legislative council in Odisha, how far it will benefit the State other than putting additional burden on the exchequer is under question.
When the State Assembly is not meeting for the mandatory 60 days for years together, the demand for the legislative council by the BJD has come in for strong criticism from the Opposition BJP and Congress.
Sources said the BJD MPs had a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the winter session of Parliament to discuss the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The MPs reportedly set the condition of passage of the Odisha Legislative Council proposal in Parliament.
However, the Centre seems to be in no hurry in initiating the process for approving the Bill. Several such demands are pending with the Centre from different states, sources said and added that the proposal from Odisha cannot be approved by-passing these states. After returning to power in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress has already started the process of revival of the upper house and waiting for the Centre’s approval.
A senior BJD leader requesting anonymity maintained that bicameral legislature is helpful in the case of big states. But he was not so sure how far it will help a smaller state like Odisha.Leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Narasingh Mishra held that the formation of a Council will certainly help BJD politically, but not Odisha. When the Assembly is not meeting for the mandatory 60 days in a year, how will the council help the State, he questioned. The Assembly had a sitting of mandatory 60 days only in 2006, 2010 and 2012.
Experience shows that upper houses always become rehabilitation centres, Mishra said and added that when the Government is not able to meet the basic necessities of people, why should it waste money on such an institution which will not benefit Odisha in any way.
The Assembly had passed a resolution last year for the establishment of a Legislative Council Odisha.
Though the ruling BJD had said the resolution was unanimous, the Congress and BJP opposed the resolution in the Assembly.
When the Chief Minister and other ministers avoid discussion in the Assembly and do not reply to questions asked by the MLAs, what will be discussed in the Council, Mishra asked.