BJP-JD(S) stall Coop. Bill; referred to House Committee

It was referred to the House Committee after 30 members voted in favour while 21 members opposed referring it to the committee

The ruling Congress suffered a setback on Wednesday as the combined Opposition BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) succeeded in blocking the passage of the Karnaṭaka Souharda Cooperative (Amendment) Bill, 2024, that seeks to bring reforms in the cooperative sector by referring it to the House Committee.

Amidst the appeal by the Cooperation Minister K.N. Rajanna for the passage of the Bill, it was referred to the House Committee after 30 members voted in favour while 21 opposed referring it to the committee. BJP member and former Minister A.H. Vishwanath did not support either. The Bill had been earlier passed by the Legislative Assembly.

Second bill stalled

This is the second bill that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners have succeeded in stalling in the council. In June, 2023, the Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation and Development) (Amendment) Bill that proposed to bring back previous provisions of penalty and jurisdiction had been blocked by referring it to the House Committee after being passed in the Legislative Assembly. Only last week, the House Committee placed its report before the House, clearing its reintroduction in the House. In the 75-member House, the BJP and JD(S) command majority with a combined strength of 42 members.  

During the debate, the BJP members raised concerns about the nomination powers of the government in the cooperative sector that would take away the autonomy of the cooperatives, reservation to be provided in the cooperatives besides raising the issue of audit. BJP member Hanumanth Nirani urged the government to wait till the committee headed by legislator Laxman Savadi submitted it’s report. Most BJP and JD(S) members felt that the Bill required careful consideration.

Minister’s explanation

However, the Cooperation Minister said that many members are confused about the provisions of another bill that is coming up. “The reservation that is at the lower rung of cooperatives is being extended to federal and apex organisations. Nomination to the cooperatives will not be from outside but from among the members or shareholders of the respective cooperatives. The election authority has become a white elephant so it is being removed. This is a pro-people act and do not waste time by delaying it further,” he added.

Meanwhile, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil also appealed to the Opposition to pave the way for the passage of the bill that was in the interest of the cooperative sector. However, the Opposition did not relent and insisted on referring the Bill to the House Committee.