National Law University bill passed amid Opposition protest

SHIMLA: Even as opposition members objected to the clause appointing Chief Justice of India (CJI) as chancellor of the upcoming National Law University, the Himachal Pradesh assembly on Saturday passed the bill relating to the creation of the university.

Chief minister Virbhadra Singh said the standards of other law universities were followed and barring Haryana, other law universities have CJI as chancellor. The BJP said in every university set up in the state, the governor is the chancellor and the government has deviated in the case of National Law University, which will be set up at Ghandal, 18km from Shimla.

Chief minister Virbhadra Singh said this university was different from other universities. “The pattern adopted here is similar to all central universities barring Haryana,” he said. Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal suggested referring the bill to a select committee and passing it in the next session. Shimla legislator Suresh Bhardwaj said the governing council of the university has no representations of legislature.

“In other universities, the state assembly nominates member for council, but here the finance minister and the higher education minister will be the members,” he said. He said why the ministers should be in the governing council. BILL BANNING LOOSE CIGARETTES PASSED

The House also passed a bill, seeking ban on the sale of loose cigarettes and regulating tobacco vendors in the state. Nahan Legislator Rajiv Bindal suggested scrapping the clause of three-month imprisonment and `50,000 fine for violators. He said these vendors are small business man and penalty is too heavy. However, Health minister Kaul Singh Thakur said the main motive behind the bill was to curb smoking and consumption of tobacco as it was the main reason behind cancer.