Aadhaar Bill tabled in RS, Opposition cries foul

Approved as Money Bill in the Lok Sabha, it is well on its way to becoming a law

The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016 is well on its way to becoming a law. The 14-day period between tabling a Money Bill in the Rajya Sabha and it being considered as cleared by both Houses of Parliament has started as far as the Aadhaar Bill is concerned, despite strong protests from the Opposition.

The secretary general of the Rajya Sabha, Shumsher K. Sheriff, tabled the message received from the Lok Sabha of the Bill having cleared the Lower House and then laid a copy of the Bill in the House. The Opposition had protested its terming as a Money Bill since it would then be immune to scrutiny by the Rajya Sabha.

A Money Bill, once tabled in the Rajya Sabha can be deemed as passed even if no discussion on it takes place there. Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, alleged that the government did not intend to bring the Aadhaar Bill in the Upper House and wanted to allow it to become a legislation without discussion in this House.

“We want a discussion on the Aadhaar Bill even if it is for an hour, so that it is not passed without debate,” he said.

On Thursday and Friday, the Rajya Sabha had met to resolve the imbroglio over the Aadhaar Bill, as Opposition members sought specific identification of a clause in Article 110 (1) of the Constitution that laid down the conditions under which a Bill could be considered a Money Bill. The government, however, managed to establish the autonomy of the Lok Sabha Speaker in certifying a Bill and getting it placed in the order of business.

Source: The Hindu