N K Premachandran alone moved 2000+ amendments in LS

He may have been the only member of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) in the outgoing 16th Lok Sabha, but N K Premachandran was arguably among its most active members.

In his five-year-term, Premachandran (58) participated in a staggering 297 debates in the Lok Sabha and moved more than 2000 amendments to different legislations and motions moved by the government in the Lower House.

Premachandran, who represents Kollam constituency in Kerala, has often received praise for his Parliamentary intervention from Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and political colleagues across the aisle who described him as 'one-man army'.

Incidentally, he also had the opportunity to move the last amendment of the 16th Lok Sabha when he suggested changes to The Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes 2018.

Premachandran's only lament is that all of his over 2000 amendments were negatived or rejected by the House. The Modi government found merit in some of his amendments, but the same was moved as official amendments at a later stage without any mention of him.

He recalled the practice in the Kerala Assembly of government accepting amendments moved by opposition members.

“Like that, a precedent and convention also has to be set in this House so that constructive and positive proposals coming from the Opposition are recognised and accepted and the legislation as well as the policy-making becomes more fruitful and bring benefit to the country,” Premachandran said.

Premachandran also asked 469 questions to the government during the last five years and moved seven private members bills in the Lower House.

He also has to his credit 21 statutory resolutions disapproving promulgation of various Ordinances by the Modi government.

Premachandran was a member of the 11th and the 12th Lok Sabhas and had also represented his party in the Rajya Sabha from 2000-06. He was also the Minister for Water Resources in the Kerala Government.