Refuting suggestions that the anti-chit fund Bill sent by the Bengal Government, for presidential assent, had been sent back by the Centre on account of its faulty Constitution, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday insisted that there was nothing wrong in the draft and that the Centre had sent the Bill to clarify certain things.
“The Bill is absolutely alright and there is nothing wrong in it as a section of the Opposition has been claiming. It is not that they have sent back the Bill,” she said adding that “they have only demanded three clarifications about the Bill.”
Rejecting suggestions that the Bill had been sent back by the Centre which had raised questions on its retrospective character Banerjee said “they only demanded no clarifications and there is no question on retrospective issue.”
She said the Centre wanted the extension of jurisdiction of special courts trying these cases besides suggesting inclusion of clauses like “no anticipatory bail” and “no compounding of offences.”
She said, “We held a meeting on Friday and agreed to all the three points made by the Centre”. Adding her Government hoped that the Centre would not make any delay on the issue after “we send the Bill back to them.”
The Government had passed the West Bengal Protection of Interest of Depositors in Financial Establishments Bill, 2013
and sent it to the Centre for Presidential assent early
last month.
The Bill had clauses related to its retrospective effect on the financial crimes committed before its coming into force. However, the legal luminaries questioned the retrospective clause saying criminal laws could not be passed with retrospective effect.
Meanwhile, Sen on Friday petitioned the court to take control of all his properties and pay up the depositors by selling them off.