RS extends time for panel on risk bill report

The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday extended the time given to a Select Committee up to December 12 to complete its report on the contentious Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2008, but only after almost an hour of discussion on the correct way of doing it.

The Select Committee, headed by BJP leader Chandan Mitra, had initially been given time till November 28 to complete its report.

One of the key reasons for the panel to finish work is that two of its members—Jagat Prakash Nadda and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi—were recently drafted into the council of ministers, creating vacancies in the body. On Tuesday, V P Singh Badnore and Rangasayee Ramakrishna were inducted into the panel, set up to review a key economic reform bill of the Modi government.

But as Mitra moved a motion in the Upper House seeking extension, CPM member P Rajeev raised objections citing House rules on how to seek such extensions. He was soon joined by the CPM's Sitaram Yechury, the Congress's Anand Sharma and the Trinamool Congress's Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, who accused the BJP leader for violating House rules.

Rajeev said the committee members were unaware of the chairman's move, and that the chairman can approach the House only after discussing the matter in the committee.

Leader of the House Arun Jaitley too explained the circumstances that led to the extension. “The Select Committee has to submit its report within one week of the commencement of this House. Obviously, it needs more time. The reality is that the committee will need some extension in order to finalise its report.