Controversial Rajasthan bill sent to Assembly select committee

The bill seeks to protect serving and former judges, magistrates and public servants from being investigated for on-duty action, without its prior sanction.

Rajsthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot and party workers are detained in Jaipur on October 23, 2017 during their protest against the tabling of an ordinance.

Facing flak from various quarters, the Rajasthan government on Tuesday referred a controversial bill that seeks to protect public servants and judges from prosecution without its prior sanction to a select committee of the Assembly.

Amid an uproar from the Opposition Congress, the Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill was tabled in the Assembly by Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria on Monday to replace an ordinance promulgated on September 7.

 

At the beginning of Question Hour on Tuesday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore said Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje held a meeting of Ministers on Monday night to discuss the Bill and that the Home Minister would apprise the House of the development.

The Home Minister said that prior approval of the President was sought before introducing the ordinance in September.

On Monday, Independent MLA Manik Chand Surana raised the point that no approval of the President was attached with the Bill. As the Opposition MLAs rushed into the well of the House demanding withdrawal of the Bill, Mr. Kataria said the government would consider the suggestions put forward by the members. He then moved a proposal to refer it to the select committee. The proposal was passed by the Assembly. The select committee was asked to submit a report in the next session.

The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, seeks to protect serving and former judges, magistrates and public servants in the State from being investigated for on-duty action, without government sanction. It also bars the media from reporting on such accusations till the sanction to proceed with the probe is given by the government.

 

The move has been severely criticised by the Congress and the National People’s Party (NPP) and senior BJP MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari. The Editors Guild of India too opposed the “harmful ordinance” and demanded its withdrawal.

On Tuesday, Mr. Tiwari protested when he was not allowed to raise a point of order. He objected to Speaker Kailash Meghwal giving permission to the Home Minister for giving his statement during Question Hour.