NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha Thursday passed the constitution (65th amendment) bill seeking extension of President’s rule in Punjab by six months, On April 10, the Rajya Sabha: approved the measure without a hitch. Today was the last day of the earlier term of President’s
The bill was carried with 399 members voting for it and three against. Three members abstained from the voting. The Congress (I) the AIADMK, National Conference and the Muslim league, besides the allies of the ruling national front, voted for the bill.
The measure had failed through at the consideration stage in the house last Friday for want of requisite majority.
The bill would now come up in Rajya Sabha had adjourned sine die on Friday last.
The bill was reintroduced in the Lok Sabha Tuesday by home minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, after the house had waived the rule 338 stipulating that a constitution amendment bill once defeated could not be brought again in the same session.
President’s rule in Punjab expires on May 10. The bill should have been passed by both houses by April 6 to prevent the election commission from initiating the process for holding assembly elections.
The government is likely to impress upon the election commission that it had taken steps to ensure the passage of the bill and hence it should not go ahead with the election process.
The adoption of the bill was again threatened after the Congress I Wednesday decided to boycott the house proceedings for the rest of the week in protest against the chair’s refusal to admit its adjournment motion on the Batala killings.
Faced with a new crisis, the ruling National Front and the Congress (1) Wednesday decided to boycott the house proceedings for the rest of the week in protest against the chair’s refusal to admit its adjournment motion on the Batala killings.
Earlier participating in the debate, members pleaded for creating congrenial atmosphere in Punjab.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 13, 1990
