NEW DELHI (PTI) The Lok Sabha passed a bill seeking to confer on the president the powers of the legislature of Jammu and Kashmir amidst stiff resistance from the national front and left front members.
The bill was carried after a division of 163 votes to 61 with the largest opposition party the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) not participating in the voting.
Replying to the nearly four hour discussion on the Jammu and Kashmir state legislature (Delegation of Powers) bill minister of state for home MM Jacob said the federal government would hold elections in the state at any cost depending on the security situation which was improving every day. He said Pakistan had chalked out a plan of action and waged a proxy war to annex the Kashmir valley of India’s only Muslim majority state.
Jacob assured the house that all efforts had been made to prevent infiltration from across the borders in view of the developments in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s reported attempts to fish in troubled waters there. The minister however refuted the opposition charge that the bill was aimed at taking away the powers of parliament and said any ordinance on Kashmir issued by the president would come to the house for discussion Jacob said the provisions under the bill were of a normal character and not meant to take away powers.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 24, 1992
