Congress stages walkout
The Gram Swaraj Bill was passed in the Upper House even as the Congress staged a walkout.
The Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill had been passed in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday amid protests.
In the debate on the Bill in the Council, Leader of the Opposition S.R. Patil accused the government of piloting it to put off the elections to zilla and taluk panchayats. “The Bill is anti-constitutional. Does the government believe in decentralisation of power?” he asked.
JD(S) member K.T. Srikante Gowda said there was no clarity in the Bill and a fresh delimitation exercise would result in a huge delay in elections. “It is better to set right anomalies in the current Act and hold elections.” He added that the Bill, if passed, would bring all the election-related exercises to a standstill.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J.C. Madhuswamy said that the government had no intention of postponing the elections. “Unless fresh population figures are available, the delimitation exercise cannot be taken up. This Bill is to set right the anomalies that exist in the Act,” he said.
However, not convinced with the reply, the Congress staged a walkout and the Bill was passed by voice vote.
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