NEW DELHI: The president’s Tule is being extended in Punjab for six months and later if necessary by full one year.
This motion was tabled in the Lok Sabha and is likely to be passed with an overwhelming majority. The constitution will have to be amended once again. In May this year Punjab will have been under Presidents rule for 3 years. The rightwing BJP had been demanding central rule and the Congress I too will support the move as it is in keeping with the excesses committed by Rajiv’s govt.
The broad consensus at an all-party meeting convened by VP Singh was that the rule of federal government in the state could be extended by one year an official spokesman said. The government has brought a constitution amendment bill in the Lok Sabha seeking to extend the president’s rule in Punjab.
The bill requiring two third majorities for passage is expected to get wide support in parliament.
The current term of the president’s rule in Punjab expires on May 11. The state has been governed by the center for three years.
The spokesman said that the consensus at the meeting was that the situation in the state was not congenial for immediate holding of elections. According to constitutional provisions the president’s rule in the state could be extended by six month at a time and later, if necessary, parliament could extend it for another six months.
The prime minister in a brief speech at the meeting said his government had taken a number of initiatives for finding a political solution to the Punjab problem. The government was also keen to re-establish the democratic process in the state and was not in favor of indefinite postponement of poll.
But the question was if free and fair election could be held in the state now, he said.
Prime Minister also listed the steps taken to ensure normalcy in the state. They included measures to ensure that innocent people were not killed, genuine grievances of the people were redressed and army deserters rehabilitated.
VP Singh said these steps in co-ordination with political parties would be intensified so that fair and free poll is held.
Later, the cabinet committee on political affairs met and approved the draft constitutional amendment bill, seeking extension of the President’s rule ii Punjab. Shiv Shankar and Dinesh Singh, who had attended the all party meeting as Congress I representatives, told pressmen they had reservations on the one year provision for the president’s rule.
Their view was that it should be only for six months. Asked what would be their stand in Parliament on the bill, they said the party would formulate its views after a discussion on the matter,
Article extracted from this publication >> March 30, 1990
