Opposition wants bill on repealing laws to be sent to Select panel

NEW DELHI: Some opposition parties, including Left and Congress, today pushed for referring to a Select Committee a bill that aims at repealing and amending some laws which is planned to be introduced in the Rajya Sabha.

Members of Congress and Left parties made this clear in the Upper House when the Chair said 'The Repealing and Amending Bill 2014' would be taken up tomorrow for discussion.

The Repealing and Amending (Second) Bill, 2014 passed today seeks to remove certain Amendment Acts from the statute books as they have outlived their utility.

This is the first time since 2001 that such an exercise is being undertaken by the Law Ministry.

"We have objections to the way in which the bill was listed... we are going to give a notice to refer it to a Committee," Congress Deputy Leader Anand Sharma said.

Contending that the House has a practice of referring a bill to a Committee, Sharma said, "Since it has not been referred to the Standing Committee and passed in the Lok Sabha without it, it must go to a Select Committee."

Sharma was supported by Left parties who also said they will issue a notice tomorrow.

Kurien said the Chair does not rule out the proposal of the Opposition. "You can raise the issue tomorrow when the bill is taken up in the House," he said.