NEW DELHI: The Union Home Ministry is likely to introduce a bill in the current session of parliament to extend President’s rule in Punjab for another term of six months, starting in November this year.
The P.M. Rajiv Gandhi has hinted at the meeting of Congress (1) party that the present session of parliament will be a last session before elections. The home ministry has therefore, no other option except to introduce the bill in a hurried manner. The ministry can only withhold this bill if the government takes a firm decision to call another session of parliament in October or November. The home Ministry according to informed sources, is desperately making efforts to introduce this bill in the both the houses next week.
According to provisions of the constitutions the presidents rule cannot be extended beyond six months without the constitutional amendments by the parliament.
The political circles feel that the president’s rule in Punjab has to be extended beyond January 1990 when the General elections to parliament take place. Therefore this amendment has be carried through to fulfill the constitutional obligations to keep the Punjab State under Delhi rule.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 11, 1989
