The Lok Sabha on Monday handed the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, amid protests by the Opposition, which they referred to as to amend the prison legislation and have “retrospective effect” for misuse of the Act.
The NDPS (Amendment) Bill, 2021, launched by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, seeks to right a “clerical error” by the federal government, which was rectified by an ordinance issued in September this yr and the Bill within the Act. for that change to take impact. ,
During the talk on the invoice, the opposition took a jibe on the authorities, saying the proposed modification invoice tantamounts to enabling “retrospective effect”, which isn’t allowed in prison legislation.
In response, Sitharaman referred to the opinion of the Solicitor General on the problem and stated that retrospective modification shouldn’t be allowed within the primary a part of the prison legislation. “It’s not real, so retrospective is allowed,” he stated, including that express modifications are allowed.
The opposition referred to as the method a violation of Article 20 of the Constitution which ensures safety to residents from “double danger”. BJD’s B Mahtab stated the invoice was “illegal” and it suffers from “inconsistent” and argued that the legislation can’t be amended to incorporate provisions having “retrospective effect” on them in prison circumstances.
“You are committing another mistake to rectify the mistake done in the past. It will be challenged in a court of law,” stated the BJD member.
“If this Bill is accepted in the form proposed by the government, Article 20 of the Constitution will become redundant,” he stated. We will open the doorways of abuse,” Congress chief Manish Tewari stated.
“This Bill is only to rectify the error; To replace the ordinance, and obviously as soon as we do so, we also have to inform the court that we have reforms through law,” Sitaraman urged the House to clear the invoice, which was handed by voice vote. was handed by.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
