After more than 50 years of its abolition, the Trinamool Congress Government has passed a resolution to recreate a Legislative Council — an exercise — that the Opposition BJP termed a device to enable many an aspirant to seek backdoor entry into the corridors of power.
The resolution to create a Legislative Council under Article 169 of the Constitution was on Tuesday passed by the State Legislative Assembly by over two-third majority. Out of 265 MLAs present and voting, 196 backed the move 69 opposed it. The Upper House was done away with by the Joint Front Government (led by the Left) in 1969 not to be reinstated when the Congress came to power under SS Ray in 1972.
The Left Front too after coming to power would not create the Legislative Assembly apparently to “save wastage” of money.
The passage of the resolution in the State Assembly does not automatically pave the path for an Upper House in Bengal as it has to get a clearance of the central legislature. “A Bill has to get passed in Parliament before an Upper House is formed,” said a TMC MLA.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had floated the idea of the Upper House way back in 2011 when she came to power removing the Left Front Government. However the proposal was sent to an ad hoc committee for further deliberations.
Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari while opposing the resolution said the creation of a Legislative Council would only cause additional burden of Rs 500-800 crores in five years adding it was a ploy to accommodate TMC leaders in the Council.
“Vidhan Parishad is not there in 23 states. This is not good for smart governance. TMC has lost 7-8 ministers including Chief Minister. They are trying for back door entry through Vidhan Parishad,” Adhikari said adding that “a passage of a resolution in the State Assembly does not automatically mean its formation as it has to get the clearance of Parliament where the BJP enjoyed a brute majority.
Only six States — Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka — have a bi-cameral legislature with both Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly. Jammu and Kashmir too had an Upper House before 2019 when it was bifurcated and reduced to the status of a Union Territory.