Highlights
- Opposition could use clause in Article 109 to send bill back to Lok Sabha
- Clause lets Rajya Sabha suggest changes which Lok Sabha may accept
- Opposition move after govt refused to extend Rajya Sabha by 2 days
After
accusing the government of dirty tricks to pass the
Aadhaar Bill, the Congress plans to use some more of its "embarrass government" strategy to get back at the ruling BJP.
The main opposition party's focused effort to ensure that the Aadhaar Bill gets discussed in the Rajya Sabha is aimed at using a clause in Article 109 of the Constitution to send it back to the Lok Sabha recommending changes, sources said.
On Friday last, the government used its big numbers in the Lok Sabha to crush the opposition's objections and pass the Aadhaar Bill as a "money bill." The Congress-led opposition alleges that the government timed the bill strategically to bring it to the Rajya Sabha only two days before Parliament breaks for a 39-day recess. Effectively, "bypassing the Rajya Sabha," said Left leader Sitaram Yechury.
Article 109, which details how a "Money Bill" is to be treated by Parliament, says that the Rajya Sabha can only discuss the bill and must do that within 14 days of it being brought to the upper house, after which it is automatically passed.
The Article does however provide that the Upper House can recommend changes to the Lok Sabha, which the latter can choose to accept or reject.
The opposition says it wants several changes to be made to the bill to ensure that
privacy of citizens is protected.Congress strategists are trying to rope in the support of as many opposition parties as it can. Sending the bill back would cause a delay that the BJP-led government has been seeking to avoid with its "Money Bill" strategy.
It would also serve up another embarrassment for the government after the opposition used its superior numbers in the Rajya Sabha last week to change the motion of thanks to the President's Address a second year running.
The government is equally determined to ensure that does not happen -
this morning it rejected an opposition demand to extend the Rajya Sabha for two days beyond Wednesday, when it breaks for the recess, to allow a discussion on the Aadhaar Bill.
The Congress argues that the bill does not qualify as a money bill on several counts.