Amid uncertainty over fate of a Bill seeking protection of the rights of state subjects, Speaker of the J&K Legislative Assembly Kavinder Gupta has decided to consult State Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdur Rehman Veeri before taking a final call on the legislation which has haunted the PDP-BJP government since last year.
Talking to Kashmir Post, Gupta- who is from BJP- said, “I will discuss the issue with Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs Minister.” The Bill has come from Revenue department.
However, the PDP-led Revenue Ministry is indecisive over the matter which can snowball into a major controversy. “We will examine the matter and then decide accordingly,” Veeri told GK.
The Speaker’s decision to seek opinion of Revenue Ministry has put spotlight on the Government’s stand over the Bill. “It would be interesting to watch whether the PDP-led Ministry would push for revival of select committee whose tenure expired after the panel failed to seek its extension during the last Budget session,” an observer said.
As already reported by Kashmir Post on February 26, the Bill seeking amendment in Transfer of Property Act was sent to a select committee on June 30 last year after BJP opposed it in the Assembly even as its ministers were part of the cabinet meeting that approved it for introduction in the House.
The amendments proposed by the State Revenue Ministry sought restrictions—throughout the State—on taking possession of or construction activity on property transferred, unless it is registered in accordance with law of the land.
However, the select committee constituted by the Speaker on September 26, 2016 never met till its term expired and even it didn’t seek any extension during the recently-concluded Budget Session of the State Legislature. The select committee was headed by then Revenue Minister Basharat Bukhari.
From the day of its constitution to beginning of the Budget Session on January 2, 2017, the committee didn’t meet once—something that shows insensitivity of the regime towards issues linked with rights of state subjects, according to observers.
All eyes on govt over Bill on State Subject’s Rights
