New Delhi: The Congress demanded Wednesday in Rajya Sabha that the ‘Right to Information(Amendment) Bill, 2019’, be either sent to the Select or Standing Committees of Parliament for scrutiny.
However, the Trinamool Congress claimed in the House that seven bills related to issues including triple talaq, labour reforms and unlawful activities should be sent to the committees.
The Lok Sabha passed Monday the ‘Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019’, which seeks to give the government powers to fix salaries, tenures and other terms and conditions of employment of information commissioners.
The Opposition have accused the Union Government of trying to make the Central Information Commission (CIC) a toothless body and compromising on its independence.
As soon as the House resumed in afternoon, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “Not a single bill has gone to Standing or Select Committee. There are two important bills listed today. But the bill related to Children is for their protection. However the second bill on right to information should go to the Standing or Select committee.”
Elaborating further he said: “State committees are being diluted (under Right to Information Act). We are representatives of the states. If states’ rights are diluted then we should talk about it.”
Meanwhile TMC leader Derek O’Brien said, “It is the government and opposition which passed 14 bills. There are 18 to 19 bills which are transmitted to Rajya Sabha. We have given a separate notice that seven bills should be send to select committees if standing committees are not in place, for further improving the bills.”
PTI
