KVP Bill a Financial Bill, rules Rajya Sabha Dy Chairman

KVP says he will go to court

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien on Friday gave a ruling on Dr K V P Ramachandra Rao’s Private Member Bill seeking an amendment to the A P Reorganisation Act 2014 to provide for Special Category Status to AP amongst others, that it is a Money Bill effectively closing the matter in the Rajya Sabha.

Giving his ruling on Friday, Kurien stated that the matter was referred to the Lok Sabha Speaker as per the norms after a debate on the same on August 5, 2015. The Deputy Chairman said the Speaker asked the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha to convey her opinion on the same that it was not to be treated as a Money Bill.

The Secretary-General stated that as the A P Reorganisation Act 2014 contained a separate provision for the establishment of High Court, the Bill should be treated as a Money Bill. The Ministry of Law and Justice too concurred with the same, he declared amid vociferous protests by Congress members, including KVP.

Reacting to the ruling, Congress MP, Jairam Ramesh, later told media that as per the Constitution (Article 110) Speaker's view prevails. Whether a Bill is a Money Bill or not has to be decided by the Speaker under Article 110 (3). Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had misled the House in this regard during the debate.

It was atrocious to declare the Bill as a Money Bill even though the Speaker termed it otherwise concurring with KVP's contention, Jairam Ramesh said. The Constitution recognises only the Speaker's opinion and not that of the Law Ministry or the interpretation of the Lok Sabha Secretary-General, he said.

AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh said the RS Chairman should consult the Speaker under Rule 186 of the RS provisions and the Chairman did so accordingly. The Speaker had expressed her opinion and there was no way it could be over ruled. “I was shocked to hear Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman's ruling.

The RS worked today against the spirit of the Constitution. We would like to contest the ruling in the Supreme Court. Once the demonetisation issue calms down, we would like to raise the issue again. Rajya Sabha has no right to reject Speaker's opinion or ruling. This (the ruling) is not just against the business rules of Rajya Sabha but also unconstitutional," he said.

Ramachandra Rao said the Centre had deceived the people of AP once again. People would teach the ruling party a lesson at an appropriate time. The party would take the fight to logical end and in the process all avenues would be explored, including a legal battle, he said. It may be recalled that Dr K V P Ramachandra Rao introduced the Bill to secure SCS to AP, financial assistance and for recouping of the revenue loss and exemptions and special assistance for the development of the backward region and the setting up of a High Court.

During the debate in the past, he argued that the House must pass the resolution in favour of his Bill to fulfil all promises made to the people of AP during the discussion on bifurcation in 2014, including the assurance given on the floor of the House by the then Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi too seeking the same. When the Centre failed to implement the provisions of the Reorganisation Act in letter and spirit, KVP moved the Private Member Bill. He even refused to heed to his senior party colleagues' advice at one point of time during the debate when he was asked to withdraw the same as he had sufficiently highlighted the mood of the people.

The Finance Minister gave a twist to the debate when he claimed it to be a Money Bill because of finance implications that the amendment involved. The matter got referred to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha in this backdrop.