Bring laws to negate farm legislations, Sonia instructs Congress-ruled states

New Delhi, September 28

Congress president Sonia Gandhi today asked her party-ruled states to negate the central farm laws by enacting their own legislations.

"The party president has advised the Congress-ruled states to explore the possibility of passing laws under Article 254(2) of the Constitution to negate the central laws that encroached upon states' jurisdiction," said KC Venugopal, AICC general secretary (organisation).

Party leader Jairam Ramesh said, "Former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had also got states to resort to Article 254(2) to override provisions of the 2013 land acquisition law, a law he had supported as the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha."

He quoted relevant provision of the Constitution under which Jaitley had asked states to override the provisions of the 2013 land acquisition Bill.

"Where a law made by the legislature of a state with respect to one of the matters enumerated in the concurrent list contains any provision repugnant to the provisions of an earlier law made by Parliament, the law so made by the legislature of such state shall, if it has been reserved for the consideration of the President and has received his assent, prevail in that state. Provided that nothing in this clause shall prevent Parliament from enacting any law with respect to the same matter, including a law adding to, amending, varying or repealing the law so made by the state legislature," Ramesh said.

The Congress feels it has a solid legal ground to go against the farm laws as agriculture, marketing and pricing are listed as state subjects in the seventh schedule of the Constitution. — TNS

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