Opposition parties will press for the introduction of an anti-defection bill during the forthcoming monsoon session of the Lok Sabha. At a meeting of representatives of nine opposition parties, it was agreed that there would be proper floor coordination of opposition parties in the Lok Sabha. The opposition will also press for the dissolution of the Haryana Assembly where it was felt the mandate of the electorate had been reversed through the misuse of the Governor’s authority and the politics of defections. The misuse of government machinery in the campaign for presidential election and the recent elections in some states will be taken up by the opposition in Parliament.
Jammu and Kashmir Governor B K Nehru will return the controversial resettlement bill to the state Government because of it being “violative of the Constitution”, informed sources said. The Bill, which provides for return of state subjects having migrated to Pakistan during the partition, has been awaiting the Governor’s assent since April 16 when it was sent to him after being passed by both Houses of the state legislature. Nehru, who had referred the Bill to the Attorney-General of India and consulted senior Union government officials, has been given a free hand to deal with the issue by the Prime Minister, sources said.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Vasant Sathe announced that the government had fixed a 60:40 ratio for release of its advertisements to newspapers. Addressing a meeting of the consultative committee of MPs attached to his ministry, Sathe reiterated the government’s desire to promote small and medium newspapers and said these papers would get due weightage.
