Day after Kalam snub, UPA strategy: let House decide and politely re-send

This meeting came as the Opposition stepped up pressure on the government and the Election Commission said it would re-open the petitions pending before it raising the spectre of disqualification of several key MPs.

While there was no official word on the Kalam-PM meeting, sources said that with moves afoot to advance the monsoon session of Parliament, the government is not keen on complicating this controversial issue by trying to hasten matters or appear “confrontationist.”

The sense in the government is that there may not be any need to further amend the Bill although officials are examining whether there are any categories that could be considered for addition.

As for Kalam’s question of a comprehensive Bill applicable to states, the government’s argument is that ensuring uniformity across states was beyond the purview of Parliament and would amount to ‘‘legislative incompetence.’’ Different states have their own versions of the Bill, it is argued.

On the propriety of the law at a time when petitions are with the EC, the government’s line is that the Constituent Assembly debates allowed for “Parliamentary flexibility” to add and delete to the list.