Use Ordinances very rarely: Congress MP T Subbarami Reddy

New Delhi: Moving a statutory resolution against the Trai Amendment Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Congress MP T. Subbarami Reddy on Tuesday termed the ordinance as a “Brahmastra” which the government should use only in a “very very rare situation.”

“I would advise the government to keep in mind the rulings of the Chair while promulgating the ordinance,” he said while participating in the debate on the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill,

Mr Reddy wanted to know whether the ordinance could be used to amend an existing legislation, and asked the government what was the hurry in promulgating it.

“The ordinance is like a Pasupathastra or Brahmasthra or Sudarshan Chakra for the government to use... in a very very rare situation. No doubt Mr Nripendra Mi-sra has a very high reputation as a distinguished officer; I have nothing against him personally. He is abs-olutely a deserving personality,” Mr Reddy said.

“But my question is, can you use an instrument like the Pasupat-hastra for making an Amendment in the legislation? Where is the hur-ry? The government could have waited till the amendment Bill is passed by both Houses of Parli-ament in normal course,” he said.

The Congress leader also quoted Speaker G.V. Mavalankar on the issue of Ordinance which was made at the Presiding Officers’ Conference. He said that in the RS, the then deputy chairman B.D. Khobragade in 1971 had said, “Of course, ordinances are to be normally issued in abnormal or extraordinary conditions. Recourse should not be taken to this procedure of legislating, in normal conditions.”

He said Ordinances were issued in the best interest of the nation where the time factor was important, and the government cannot afford to wait till the House meets.

In this context, he said ordinances in the past were promulgated to amend the National Security Act, The Tea Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Sick Tea Units) and Essential Commodities (Special Provisions).