Hyderabad: Congress MP K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao introduced a Private Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Friday seeking a constitutional guarantee for the assurances given by the council of ministers in Parliament.
The background to the Bill is that assurances — including Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh — given by the previous UPA government at the time of discussions on the AP Reorganisation Bill in Parliament, have not been honoured by the present NDA government at the Centre.
In the statement of objects and reasons for introducing a Private Bill, KVR said that over a period of time, the political parties winning public mandate and forming the government have been ignoring the promises made or assurances given by their predecessor governments. The thinking is that those promises or assurances were not given by their own party. But the fact is that these assurances were given in the supreme legislative body of the country, Not fulfilling them tarnishes the image of the parliamentary system of democracy.
KVP said that his bill seeks to provide a constitutional guarantee to the assurances given or promises made by the Council of Ministers, including the Prime Minister, in either House of Parliament, either during a debate or a discussion on any issue, or while answering any question or responding to any notice or motion or in response to any matter raised by any member by issuing an executive order to give effect to the promises made or assurances given. This way, the successor governments cannot escape implementing it.
Similarly, the Congress leader said, this bill seeks to provide a constitutional guarantee to the assurances given or promises made by the Council of Ministers including the Chief Minister in the State Legislatures. KVP said that it is the bounden duty of the council of ministers to ensure that the government fulfils all of the promises or assurances that its members have made in order to uphold the dignity of Parliament in the eyes of common people.
