New Delhi: Big political victory for Modi govt, The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Amendment Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on today. TRAI Bill introduced by it to legitimize the appointment of former telecom chief Nripendra Misra as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Principal Secretary was passed in Lok Sabha on today despite tough resistance from the Congress party.
Making things easier for the ruling BJP, Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress and Congress ally BSP led by Mayawati supported the TRAI Amendment Bill. The Trinamool, which had joined the Congress in protesting against the government’s move and even planned to move a resolution, took a 180 degree turn on the issue.
The government now wants to see the bill passed in Rajya Sabha as well. With several opposition parties saying they don’t want a confrontation, the bill is unlikely to face trouble even in Rajya Sabha, where the Congress is the single largest party.
The bill, if approved by the Parliament, will replace its ordinance, or executive order, amending the Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRAI) Act, which barred Misra from taking any government post. Passing the ordinance to allow Misra to join the PM’s team was among the first acts of the new government after it took charge in May.
After the bill was passed in Lok Sabha, clause by clause, the ruling BJP said, “Prime Minister should have the right to choose his officials. The Congress has been criticising the government for showing undue haste in bringing a person specific ordinance.
Misra, a 1967 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre who retired in 2009, joined the PMO the same day the ordinance was promulgated and the bill has been brought to give his appointment the requisite legal backing. The Bill will now go to the Rajya Sabha and is again likely to sail through with the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party supporting it.
Bureau Report
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