Bill amended by abuse of process: group of citizens to Hamid Ansari

Rajya Sabha, incidentally, returned the bill to Lok Sabha Wednesday with four amendments after Opposition parties attacked the government over the issue.

By: Express News Service

New Delhi | Updated: March 30, 2017 02:06 AM IST

1 min read

Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari, Fali S Nariman, Finance Bill, Aadhar card mandatory, indian express news

However, neither the member who had asked the question, nor the minister who was to answer it were present, provoking Ansari to remark that this was an "extraordinary situation"

A group of 200 eminent citizens and jurists have written to Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari protesting against the government’s decision to bring in amendments to 40 laws in the Finance Bill through the money bill route. Rajya Sabha, incidentally, returned the bill to Lok Sabha Wednesday with four amendments after Opposition parties attacked the government over the issue. Eminent citizens and jurists including Fali S Nariman, Aruna Roy and Medha Patkar alleged that in introducing the bill as a money bill, the government has continued the “abuse of process” where vital debates on the controversial Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, benefits and services) Bill, 2016 were “avoided”.

“The massive 92-page document of the Finance Bill, 2017 includes 40 amendments to a number of Acts. These amendments have far reaching consequences for not only several significant laws but the very nature of Indian democracy and constitution,” the letter said. An online petition has also been put up to garner support. Copies of the letter were sent to Opposition MPs.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Tags: