Chandigarh, Aug 9 — Congress lawmaker, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, on Sunday urged the Punjab government and the Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan to extend the Assembly session by at least a few more days so that the six Bills proposed for consideration on the last day can be properly examined and debated.
Khaira said that according to the official Legislative business, six Bills will be placed before the House on Monday.
They included three digital universities, Goods and Services Tax (GST), outsourced personnel and contractual engagement and common infrastructure.
"How can six new laws, having far-reaching implications for Punjab, be properly scrutinised, debated and passed on the last working day of the Assembly session? This is not meaningful Parliamentary democracy. The government must give legislators adequate time to study the Bills, consult stakeholders and move amendments in the larger public interest," Khaira said in a statement.
He questioned the wisdom of bringing such important legislation at the eleventh hour when MLAs have barely any opportunity to examine the fine print, understand its implications or seek clarifications from the concerned departments.
"The Vidhan Sabha is not a rubber stamp for the Cabinet. The purpose of the Legislature is to scrutinise legislation clause-by-clause, debate its merits and demerits and protect the interests of the people of Punjab. Rushing six Bills through the House simply because tomorrow is the last working day amounts to reducing the Legislative process to a mere formality," Khaira said.
He added that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government should remember that laws are not temporary political announcements.
"Once enacted, they affect Punjab's institutions, economy, employees, students, businesses and citizens for years to come."
He particularly questioned the urgency behind introducing three separate Digital University Bills along with other major Legislative proposals at the fag end of the Assembly session, saying that the state government must explain why these matters could not have been brought before the House earlier to allow adequate discussion.
"Punjab has already suffered enormously because of poorly conceived and hurried decisions. The future of Punjab cannot be legislated through a ticking clock. If the government genuinely believes these Bills are in Punjab's interest, it should have no hesitation in extending the session and allowing a full and meaningful debate," Khaira said.
He appealed to Assembly Speaker Sandhwan to uphold the dignity and supremacy of the Legislature by allowing sufficient time for discussion rather than permitting important Bills to be rushed through merely to complete the government's Legislative agenda.