The government may have to think twice before it takes the ordinance route next time. President Pranab Mukherjee said the Constitution confers limited power upon Executive for ordinances to meet exigencies. He also took on the Opposition saying a "noisy minority cannot be allowed to gag a patient majority".
The government may have to think twice before it takes the ordinance route next time. President Pranab Mukherjee said the Constitution confers limited power upon Executive for ordinances to meet exigencies. He also took on the Opposition saying a "noisy minority cannot be allowed to gag a patient majority".
"Proceedings in Parliament must be in spirit of cooperation, harmony and purpose... and must not yield space for legislating and policymaking to mass mobilisation and street-protests," the president said while interacting with students of central universities, IITs, NITs and other institutions through video conference.
His comments come amidst a debate over pushing decisions through ordinances. The BJP-led NDA government has used the Ordinance route nine times during its seven months in the face of failure to get legislations passed, particularly in the Upper House where it is at a numerical disadvantage. Mukherjee had earlier asked ministers about the urgency for an Ordinance on Land Acquisition. The president's remarks are a message for the government to be cautious on taking the Ordinance route. He had earlier asked three union ministers to explain the urgency on the Land Acquisitions Ordinance.
Mukherjee said the Constitution provided for promulgation of ordinance in extraordinary situation, but said it should not be used for normal legislation and advocated dialogue to resolve differences and evolve consensus among parties.
"It is the responsibility of entire political establishment to put their heads together and work out a workable solution. The opposition can oppose, expose and possibly depose, if they have the numbers. But always keep in mind, it is the collective responsibility of the elected members of the House whether directly elected to the LokSabha or through states in RajyaSabha," he said, replying to questions on his views on frequent resort to ordinance route by the executive.
Mukherjee also expressed his disapproval of the Opposition for not allowing Parliament to function. "Under no circumstances should there be disruption of proceedings... Proceedings in Parliament must be in spirit of cooperation, harmony and purpose", he said.
The Opposition has criticised the government for bringing ordinances questioning its urgency to bring them in. The government has been putting the blame on the Opposition saying it did not allow the House to function leaving it no option but to bring Ordinances, including on raising the FDI cap in insurance and land acquisition.
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