Nine Bills passed by Chhattisgarh assembly, awaits governor's nod

Raipur: Nine legislations, passed in the Chhattisgarh assembly, have been pending for assent by the governor for over a year.

Eight of them were passed in the state assembly in 2020, while the remaining legislation, seeking to enhance reservation in government jobs and educational institutions to 76 percent, saw passage in the house in 2022.

Five of the nine bills relate to amendments seeking transfer of the authority to appoint vice-chancellors in the five state-run universities to the state government.

One of them also sought a change of the name of the university.

Another two legislations, Chhattisgarh Public Service (Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes Reservation) (Amendment) Bill 2022 and Chhattisgarh Educational Institutions (Reservation in admission) (Amendment) Bill 2022, have sought to increase reservation in the government jobs and educational institutions in the state to 76 percent.

The two reservation bills were held back by the former governor Anuisuiya Uike despite mounting pressure by the state government to get the nod by Raj Bhawan to them.

The former governor had sought some clarifications from the state government regarding the two legislations. The former governor later found the clarifications given by the government unsatisfactory.

The state government has taken the matter to the court.

The other legislations which awaited clearance by the Raj Bhawan are Chhattisgarh Krishi Upaj Mandi (Amendment) Bill 2020 and Chhattisgarh Cooperative Society (Amendment) Bill 2020.

The issue has assumed significance in view of the recent remarks by the Supreme Court questioning the delay in giving assent to the pending legislations, passed in the Tamil Nadu assembly, by the TN governor.