NEW DELHI (PTI) The Rajiv Gandhi government suffered a major setback when the two Constitutional amendment bills on the Panchayat Raj and Nagarpalikas fell through in the Upper House of the Indian Parliament (Prajya Sabha).
The bills proposed to devolve power to village and urban local bodies.
The bills, already passed by the lower house (Lok Sabha), were defeated in the upper house by 158 to 83 and 157 to 83 respectively after the opposition pressed for a division.
The 64th and 65th constitutional amendment bills failed to receive the requisite two thirds majority needed for the passage of constitutional amendment measures.
This is the second occasion that a government motion has been defeated in Parliament since the 1968 bill on abolition of privy purses.
As the result of the voting was announced by the chairman, S.D. Sharma, a jubilant opposition cried “shame, shame” and demanded the resignation of the government.
Earlier Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi said during a discussion on the bill, that the twin legislations on Panchayati Raj and Nagar palikas for greater powers to village and urban self-governing units were designed to entrench democracy and end the “reign of power brokers.”
Describing the bills as historic and revolutionary, Gandhi said this would en sure that the superstructure of Democracy in state capitals and national capital would be “stable, sound and well founded.”
Gandhi assured the House that nothing was sought to be taken away from the legislative competence of state legislatures.
Gandhi further said “those state governments that live up to the expectations of the people will receive their endorsement and those who fail will receive the rejection they de serve.”
Rebutting opposition charges that the bills were an election gimmick. Gandhi said the consequences of the 64th and 65th constitutional amendments would far outlast the outcome of the next general elections.
“The amendments will become a sacred obligation on all governments whether at the centre or in the states, whether run by the Congress or by an opposition party. There is nothing gimmicky about our intentions,” he said.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 20, 1989
