Vidhan Parishad select committee says no to amendments

LUCKNOW: The Vidhan Parishad’s select committee headed by chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday refused to consider the opposition’s demand for amendments to the UP Control of Organised Crime Bill (UPCOCB) on technical grounds.

The committee, according to sources, at its meeting observed that as per rules the opposition always proposed amendments to the select committee. “But in this case the procedure was not followed as the select committee had no proposed amendments before it to discuss,” said sources adding, “This led the committee to close the chapter on the issue at its very first meeting which happened to be the last meeting also.”

This has cleared way for the government to reintroduce the Bill in the Vidhan Sabha during the budget session in February or even bring an Ordinance to make it a law.

“The Vidhan Parishad will have no option but to pass the Bill when it is presented again

› The Vidhan Parishad will have no option but to pass the Bill when it is presented again before it as the procedure was not followed as the select committee had not proposed amendments before it to discuss,

VIDHAN PARISHAD SOURCES

before it,” said sources.

After the select committee’s meeting, SP leader Ahamad Hasan said the government was hell-bent on bringing the UPCOCA to muffle democracy. He claimed the party had proposed 14 amendments to the Bill.

A united opposition led by the Samajwadi Party (SP) had thrown a spanner in the Yogi Adityanath government’s plans to bring a law against organised crime during the winter session of the UP’s bicameral legislature by getting the Bill referred to the select committee.