Aided by the U-turn of Trinamool Congress and the non-opposition by other key parties, the Government’s TRAI (Amendment) Bill — to remove hurdles in the appointment of Nripendra Mishra as Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister — had a smooth passage in the lok Sabha on Monday.
The Bill was passed by a voice vote after a walkout by Congress, left parties, AAP and RJD. SP, BSP, NCP, and AIADAMK did not oppose the Bill. The Congress and the Trinamool Congress were co-movers of the statutory resolution opposing the Bill. But TMC leader Sudip Bandopadhyay surprised everyone by declaring his party’s support to the Government on the Bill by stating that the Prime Minister had the right to select the officials he want in the greater interests of better governance.
Given the positioning of the parties in the lok Sabha, the Bill is now likely to have a smooth sailing in the Upper House too. The BJP has been wary of the Bill’s fate in the Rajya Sabha where it doesn’t have a majority. Replying to a discussion on the issue during which the Government came under attack, law and Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the focus of the measure was to remove “a palpable anomaly” as the existing law provided that a former TRAI Chairman could take up private job two years after retirement but not a Government job.
He maintained that since other regulatory bodies like Competition Commission, Airports Economic Regulatory Authority and SEBI do not have such provision, the Government decided to amend the law to bring parity. His party colleague, Saugata Roy, had last week opposed the Bill saying it was being brought “merely to give a Government job to a superannuated TRAI Chairman, thereby taking away the independence of TRAI.” Roy was not present in the House on Monday, when his party made the u-turn.
It is learnt that Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu had apparently reached out to various Opposition parties for their support. While the BJD and AIADMK supported the Bill, Samajwadi Party remained silent. It is expected that the SP will support the Bill in the Rajya Sabha. There is a widespread apprehension that TMC diluted its objection due to its expectations of a financial package to West Bengal from the Centre.
Naidu later pointed out that the Congress-led dispensation had promulgated 61 ordinances when it was in power from 2004 to 2014. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge’s comment on the unknown “compulsions” of certain Opposition parties to support the Bill provoked AIADMK leader M Thambidurai. “Prime Minister made a choice and there is no need to oppose it,” he shot back.
Moving a statutory resolution disapproving the TRAI Bill, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury accused the Government of “transgressing the domain of the legislature” by issuing an ordinance to give legal backing to Mishra’s appointment. The appointment “was conceptualised at a lightning speed, smacking of a hidden agenda. This will not augur well for democracy,” he said.
“Our Prime Minister should not be seen kowtowing to his ego by resorting to the ordinance route. Heavens would not have fallen if the appointment was done through legislation,” he said, asking, “What warranted you to bulldoze the golden path of legislature procedure.” Countering Chowdhury, BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy said that there was an “anomaly” which was rectified by the Government. “We got complete majority. The Prime Minister felt that this man was needed in the Government...Why should we ignore meritIJ Earlier, the bureaucracy was crest-fallen...We can take any decision to encourage merit,” Rudy said.
After passage of the Bill in the lok Sabha, talking to reporters, BSP chief Mayawati said, they will support the Bill. “Centre has the right to choose its officers and decide how they want to run the Government. We have no objection to Mishra’s appointment as he is a good officer. Government at the State or Centre can choose its officer,” she said.
Venkaiah Naidu blamed the Congress for “opposing for the sake of Opposition.” “There was a sort of a mistake or shortcoming earlier that has been rectified. And that officer has got impeccable character. Nobody has questioned his integrity, honesty and commitment and calibre also. So naturally, the house has approved it,” he said.