Darjeeling, Dec. 12: The Union home
ministry has stated that the draft bills for including the Darjeeling
hills in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution have “lapsed with the
dissolution of the 14th Lok Sabha” and the bills “cannot be
implemented”.
The statement, in
reply to an RTI query, has prompted the GNLF to explore the possibility
of going to court. Inclusion in the Sixth Schedule would have allowed
the Darjeeling hills autonomy in several matters under the Constitution.
Arjun Rai, the
GNLF convener of Mirik, today said: “There is no question of the bills
being lapsed…. If indeed there is such a reply the party will go to the
Supreme Court on the issue.”
Ashutosh Jain,
director, Centre-state relations-II, while replying to the RTI query
filed by a resident of Darjeeling, who does not wish to be named, said
the bills had lapsed.
“Two draft bills for grant of 6th Schedule were introduced in the Lok Sabha on 30-11-2007,” the reply said.
“After
introduction of the (bill in) Lok Sabha, it opposed against the proposal
to grant Sixth Schedule status. The proposal was referred to
department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee for their advice.
The Bills lapsed with the dissolution of the 14th Lok Sabha and as such,
the bill cannot be implemented (sic),” the reply dated November 29,
2013, said.
The 14th Lok Sabha
was dissolved in 2009. All bills for which no decision has been arrived
at stand lapsed with the dissolution of the Lok Sabha. The only
exception is when the minister concerned asks the Speaker to keep it
pending for the next Lok Sabha.
Source: The Telegraph