House panel to vote on land Bill today

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 29

Amid indications of government climb-down on contentious provisions of the land Bill, the Joint Committee of Parliament reviewing it will meet here tomorrow to take up clause-by-clause consideration of the law and vote on its controversial amendments.

It is a big day for the government, which has hinted at diluting its position on the law to achieve what Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently described as “forward movement on land law”.

Part of the dilution is rooted in the open rebellion of NDA ally Shiv Sena, which has told the government it will vote against the controversial amendments that scrap the requirement of consent and social impact assessment in case of acquisitions for certain categories of land; and another that mandates acquisitions for industrial corridors to include one kilometer land on either side of the highways.

Shiv Sena MP and JCP member Anandrao Adsul, who attended an “informal” meeting of non-BJP members of the panel at NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s residence yesterday, said: “There is no question of siding with the Opposition on this issue. We have our own position on the amendments. That position has been public from the first day. If our amendments to the Bill are accepted, we will go with the Bill. If not, we won’t side with any anti-farmer legislation.” The Shiv Sena has indicated it will vote against the controversial amendments if these are not withdrawn.

Out of 15 amendments to be voted on tomorrow along with other clauses, three are procedural which most parties accept. The Congress will oppose all 12 non-procedural amendments so will TMC, JDU, CPM and likely SP and BSP. The BJP has 11 MPs in the 30-member panel and needs 16 votes for a majority vote. Sources said the government had hinted at climb-down to move the Bill forward.

“Deposing before the panel, Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Planning, Amitabh Kant recently said acquisitions for industrial corridors, the trickiest issue at hand, should not be part of the main law.

That implies the Centre is open to not even getting into the issue of acquisitions for industrial corridors.