Six of the eight Private Members’ Bills sought to be taken up on the third of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly session on Tuesday were presented and later withdrawn by ruling coalition MLAs.
The Treasury benches took up and withdrew all their proposed legislations, while one Bill from the PDP could not be taken up due to lack of numbers and another from the BJP was denied leave for introduction after a voice vote.
The first Bill, read by National Conference (NC) chief spokesperson and Zadibal MLA Tanvir Sadiq, aimed to provide “prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and addressing the drug abuse crisis” in the Union Territory (UT). It was withdrawn after Health Minister Sakina Itoo informed the House that the government plans to bring its own Bill on the issue.
The CPI(M)’s lone legislator, Kulgam MLA M Y Tarigami proposed a Bill to establish a Lokayukta in the UT. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah responded that such a proposal cannot be taken up in a UT, adding, “The framework to counter corruption does exist. We are bound by all national laws and there are agencies equipped to tackle this.” Tarigami then withdrew his Bill.
NC MLA from Trehgam, Mir Saifullah, proposed a Bill seeking protection and regularisation of employees working on a “contractual basis, casual labourers and daily wagers”. The CM said the government has struggled to determine the exact number of such employees. “A committee has been formed under the chief secretary to ascertain this,” Abdullah said, adding that the committee should be allowed to complete its work before bringing such legislation. Mir subsequently withdrew his Bill.
Similar exchanges took place between the CM and Congress legislator Nizamudin Bhat, as well as NC MLA from Pahalgam Altaf Ahmad Wani, before both withdrew their Bills.
However, PDP legislator Waheed Ur Rehman Para pressed his Bill seeking land ownership and legal recognition for residents living on public land. Abdullah argued that “encroachment cannot be legitimised” as it would allow anyone occupying land to claim ownership, “opening doors for land grab”. Para invoked former Jammu and Kashmir CM Sheikh Abdullah’s legacy, saying “providing land to the landless under ‘Land to Tiller’ is your party’s legacy, and this Bill aims to do the same.” Abdullah responded that the reform gave land to those who worked on it, whereas Para’s Bill sought to transfer state land to those merely residing on it.
Story continues below this ad
BJP’s Udhampur MLA B S Mankotia proposed a Bill seeking compulsory vocational and skill education in the UT. Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Singh acknowledged the importance of the issue, noting that vocational training objectives are already part of the National Education Policy (NEP) and that ITIs and the Skill Development Department are working in this area. The Bill was put to a voice vote for introduction but was rejected through the NC’s majority in the House.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd