Bill to clip govt's wings moved in Lok Sabha

In a move apparently aimed at raising some more dust on the Indo-US nuclear deal in Parliament, a Left MP has introduced a Private Members' Bill in the Lok Sabha, seeking to curb the executive's power to enter into agreements with other countries.

The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2006, introduced in the Lok Sabha by CPI MP CK Chandrappan last Friday, seeks an amendment to Article 253 of the Constitution to provide that "every treaty, agreement or convention entered into by India with any other country or multilateral organization shall by ratified by Parliament before implementation."

"As you see in case of the nuclear deal, the US Congress has to ratify it before it is implemented. There is no such thing in our country. We want to rectify this," Chandrappan told Business Standard.

In the Statement of Objects and Reasons, he said the government of India committed the country and people into many obligations and duties while signing treaties and agreements with other countries or while participating in international conferences or conventions.

The practice (in the US) of Congress' mandatory approval to international treaties is "more just, democratic and correct", said the Statement. "The practice (in India) of entering into an agreement without taking into confidence both Houses of Parliament does not appear sound and requires to be done away with," it said.

So far as Private Members' Bills are concerned, there are few instances of their coming into force. After its introduction in the House, the Committee on Private Members' Bills and Resolutions will decide the priority it has to be given.

If given priority, it will be discussed in the House, after which the government will reply. If it sees no merit in the Bill, it is generally rejected. Members are not known to insist on voting for its passage to the next stage.

The government can, however. promise to bring a Bill on the same issue, which, in this case, seems unlikely.

The Left and the Samajwadi parties are, however, sure to use this opportunity to attack the Indo-US deal in Parliament.