The India-Bangladesh land Boundary Agreement Bill, which had some drafting errors when passed by Parliament last week, was again passed by the Rajya Sabha on Monday. While backing the Bill unanimously, the Opposition, however, urged the Government to avoid such mistakes in future due to national and international ramifications.
The Constitution (119th Amendment) Bill to allow the operationalisation of the 1974 India-Bangladesh land Boundary agreement was cleared by both the Houses unanimously last week. But there was an error in numbering of the Bill because of which it had to be approved again.
The official amendment was carried out in the short title of the Bill. But due to an oversight, the same amendment could not be carried out in the schedules of the Bill. While it was introduced as the 119th Amendment Bill 2013, it should have been passed as 100th Amendment Act 2015. This is because several constitution amendment Bills are introduced but the number of those which clear Parliament is less.
Explaining the necessity of coming back to the Rajya Sabha to pass the rectified bill, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the lok Sabha had passed the Bill with the necessary amendments and therefore it was moved in the Rajya Sabha once again on Monday.
Elaborating upon the errors, she said the Government was of the understanding that by amending the short title of the Bill, the other amendments in the Bill will be carried out as a consequence.