Census pay-scale resolution recalled

On the last day of Budget session, the Centre today faced a little embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha when the Opposition unitedly compelled i...

On the last day of Budget session, the Centre today faced a little embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha when the Opposition unitedly compelled it to withdraw a resolution rejecting the Board of Arbitration BoA award enhancing pay-scales of Census officials.

Even a well-articulated intervention from Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj could not save the Government8217;s day.

Moved by the Minister of State for Home Affairs I.D. Swamy, the resolution tried to get the Upper House to approve a proposal rejecting the October 18, 1999 award given by the Board of Arbitration to increase the pay-scales for the post of Computor in the office of the Registrar General. Proposing the resolution, Swamy said that the BoA award involves an expenditure of Rs 17.58 crores approximately in payment of arrears upto December 31, 2002, and recurring expenditure of Rs 2.16 crores approximately per annum and that it will 8216;8216;affect the national economy and social justice8217;8217;. However, the Opposition members, led by CPI-M MP Jibon Roy and Congress8217; Suresh Pachauri, put up a stiff resistance to the passing of the resolution citing the fact the case is in the court.

Roy said that it is unprecedented that when a matter is pending with the judiciary, the legislature passes a resolution. 8216;8216;The House cannot pass a resolution which would amount to influencing the court,8217;8217; he said. This was followed by a heated exchange between the Treasury and Opposition benches, so much so that Swami finally agreed that the government would defer the resolution till more facts were placed before the House.

Realising he did not have the information as to whether the case was pending in High Court or the Supreme Court, Swamy rose to defer the resolution even as the Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptulla prepared to put it to voice vote.

In trying to calm down the agitated Opposition members, she said since the motion was a property of the House, it can be accepted or reject. However, members preferred to defer it.