×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Prez cautions govt against ordinance

Last Updated 23 July 2017, 19:07 IST

Two days before demitting his office, President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday cautioned the government against using the ordinance route too frequently to push legislations while lamenting that time devoted to lawmaking is declining.

Mukherjee also used his speech at the farewell function in Parliament's Central Hall to remind the Opposition that disruption would not serve any purpose, saying it hurts them more as it denies the opportunity to raise people's concerns.

Acknowledging that the executive has extraordinary powers to make laws to meet exigencies when Parliament is not in session, he said, "I am firm in the opinion that the ordinance route should be used only in compelling circumstances and there should be no recourse to ordinances on monetary matters."

Mukherjee, who had earlier expressed his displeasure with NDA government over the issue, said ordinance route should not be taken on matters which are being considered or have been introduced in Parliament or a Parliamentary committee. He felt that if a matter is deemed urgent, the concerned committee should be made aware of the situation and should be mandated to present its report within the stipulated time.

Highlighting his worry over the decline in time devoted to legislative business, he said, “with the heightened complexity of administration, legislation must be preceded by scrutiny and adequate discussion”.

Emphasising that scrutiny in committees is no substitute for a discussion on the floor of the House, he said, "when the Parliament fails to discharge its law-making role or enacts laws without discussion, I feel it breaches the trust reposed in it by the people of this great country."

In a word of caution for Opposition, the outgoing President reminded the lawmakers that he felt one with the soul of Parliament listening to the stalwarts for hours and days sitting in the Treasury or Opposition benches. "I understood the real value of debate, discussion and dissent. I realised how disruption hurts the opposition more than the government as it denies them the opportunity to raise the concerns of the people," he said.

Though he had tough words for both sides, he said he benefited from the advice and cooperation extended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is "driving transformational changes in the country". He said he was enriched by the "wisdom of PV Narasimha Rao, the oration of AB Vajpayee...calming presence of Manmohan Singh, the mature advice of LK Advani and passionate support of Sonia Gandhi on social legislations".

He also referred to the passage of Goods and Services Tax and its launch, saying it was a "shining example of co-operative federalism and speaks volumes for the maturity" of Parliament. "To be a part of this system is a unique experience and I am grateful to the people of this great country for giving me that opportunity," he said.

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 23 July 2017, 14:38 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT