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The Journal of Parliamentary Information VOLUME LVII NO. 4 DECEMBER 2011 LOK SABHA SECRETARIAT NEW DELHI CBS Publishers & Distributors Pvt. Ltd. 24, Ansari Road, Darya Ganj, New Delhi-2 2009 issue, EDITORIAL BOARD Editor : T.K. Viswanathan Secretary-General Lok Sabha Associate Editors : P.K. Misra Joint Secretary Lok Sabha Secretariat Kalpana Sharma Director Lok Sabha Secretariat Assistant Editors : Pulin B. Bhutia Additional Director Lok Sabha Secretariat Sanjeev Sachdeva Joint Director Lok Sabha Secretariat Babulal Naik Joint Director Lok Sabha Secretariat © Lok Sabha Secretariat, New Delhi for approval. THE JOURNAL OF PARLIAMENTARY INFORMATION VOLUME LVII NO. 4 DECEMBER 2011 CONTENTS PAGE EDITORIAL NOTE 329 ADDRESSES Addresses at the Inauguration of the Fifth Conference of the Association of the SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians, New Delhi, 9 July 2011 331 Inaugural Address by the Speaker, Lok Sabha, Smt. Meira Kumar at the Regional Seminar for Asian Parliaments on ‘Preventing and Responding to Violence Against Women and Girls: From Legislation to Effective Enforcement’, New Delhi, 15 September 2011 338 PARLIAMENTARY EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES Conferences and Symposia 341 Birth Anniversaries of National Leaders 347 Exchange of Parliamentary Delegations 348 Parliament Museum 349 Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training 350 PROCEDURAL MATTERS 352 PARLIAMENTARY AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS 357 DOCUMENTS OF CONSTITUTIONAL AND PARLIAMENTARY INTEREST 369 SESSIONAL REVIEW Lok Sabha 372 Rajya Sabha 395 State Legislatures 414 RECENT LITERATURE OF PARLIAMENTARY INTEREST 419 (iv) iv The Journal of Parliamentary Information APPENDICES I. Statement showing the work transacted during the Eighth Session of the Fifteenth Lok Sabha 424 II. Statement showing the work transacted during the 223rd Session of the Rajya Sabha 428 III. Statement showing the activities of the Legislatures of the States and Union Territories during the period 1 July to 30 September 2011 433 IV. List of Bills passed by the Houses of Parliament and Assented to by the President during the period 1 July to 30 September 2011 439 V. List of Bills passed by the Legislatures of the States and the Union Territories during the period 1 July to 30 September 2011 440 VI. Ordinances promulgated by the Union and State Governments during the period 1 July to 30 September 2011 445 VII. Party Position in the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and Legislatures of the States and the Union Territories 449 Index 457 Jai Mata Di final EDITORIAL NOTE For the second time, India hosted the Conference of the Association of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians in New Delhi in July 2011. The Conference deliberated two significant themes of contemporary relevance namely: Consolidating Democracy–Strengthening Trust between Parliament and the People and Sustainable Development in SAARC Countries: The Way Forward. Inaugurating the Conference, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh observed that the countries of South Asia face common challenges of mass poverty, unemployment, lack of adequate health care, illiteracy and environmental degradation. He pointed out that South Asia cannot realise its full potential until and unless we resolve our differences peacefully and develop the culture of solving our problems ourselves. The Prime Minister called upon Parliamentarians to act as the conscience keepers of South Asian cooperation and integration. In her Address, the Speaker, Lok Sabha, Smt. Meira Kumar said that development and democracy go hand in hand and reinforce each other. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region is not only historically and culturally interlinked, but is also home to the most daunting developmental challenges. Poverty, healthcare and universal education are some of the most critical concerns that all SAARC member-States have to regularly confront. She also complemented the Association of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians for spreading the spirit of peace and solidarity. We include the texts of these Addresses in this issue of the Journal. The Parliament of India in collaboration with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) organized a Regional Seminar for Asian Parliaments on ‘Preventing and Responding to Violence Against Women and Girls: From Legislation to Effective Enforcement’ in New Delhi in September 2011. The Seminar was part of a series of conferences, seminars and workshops on violence against women which the IPU has been organizing in association with national Parliaments and regional parliamentary bodies. In her Inaugural Address, the Speaker, Lok Sabha, Smt. Meira Kumar emphasised upon the need to bring about an attitudinal change in the mindset of the men who perpetrate this violence and women who suffer silently. Parliamentarians have to be agents of change and usher in social transformation by raising these issues in their M07 330 The Journal of Parliamentary Information respective Parliaments and generating awareness in their constituencies. Smt. Meira Kumar also reiterated India’s commitment to eliminating violence against women. We include the text of the above Address in this issue of the Journal. We also carry in this issue, the other regular features, viz. Parliamentary Events and Activities, Procedural Matters, Parliamentary and Constitutional Developments, Documents of Constitutional and Parliamentary Interest, Sessional Review, Recent Literature of Parliamentary Interest and Appendices. In our constant pursuit of making the Journal more enriching and useful, we always invite and welcome suggestions for its further improvement. We also welcome practice and problem-oriented, non- partisan articles in the field of parliamentary procedures and institutions from the members of Parliament and State Legislatures, scholars and all others interested in the field of parliamentary political science. –T.K. Viswanathan Editor Jai Mata Di 1 ADDRESSES AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE FIFTH CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATION OF THE SAARC SPEAKERS AND PARLIAMENTARIANS IN NEW DELHI ON 9 JULY 2011 The Fifth Conference of the Association of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians was held from 9 to 12 July 2011 in New Delhi. The inaugural function was held on 9 July 2011 in the Central Hall of the Parliament House. The Speaker, Lok Sabha, Smt. Meira Kumar addressed the distinguished gathering. The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the Conference. We reproduce below the text of the Address by the Speaker, Lok Sabha, and of the Inaugural Address delivered by the Prime Minister of India on the occasion. –Editor ADDRESS BY THE SPEAKER, LOK SABHA, SMT. MEIRA KUMAR Honourable Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji; Honourable Speaker, Wolesi Jirga of Afghanistan, Abdul Raouf Ibrahimi; Honourable Speaker, Jatiya Sangsad of Bangladesh, Mohammad Abdul Hamid Advocate; Honourable Speaker, National Assembly of Bhutan, Jigme Tshultim; Honourable Speaker, People’s Majlis of Maldives, Abdulla Shahid; Honourable Speaker, Constituent Assembly of Nepal, Subhas Chandra Nembang; Honourable Speaker, National Assembly of Pakistan, Dr. Fehmida Mirza; Honourable Speaker, Parliament of Sri Lanka, Chamal Rajapaksa; Honourable Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Smt. Sushma Swaraj; Honourable Chairperson National Advisory Council, Smt. Sonia Gandhi; Honourable Ministers; Honourable Members of SAARC Parliaments; Honourable Presiding Officers; Distinguished Delegates; Ladies and Gentlemen: It is my great privilege and honour to welcome this very distinguished gathering of friends from our neighbourhood. As neighbours we have a shared history and are bound together by ties that are emotional and cultural. We aspire to strengthen this association by our enduring commitment towards peace and friendship, and by creating an unparalleled 332 The Journal of Parliamentary Information bond of collaboration and cooperation. It is with this spirit of deep affection and appreciation that we are gathered here in the hallowed Central Hall of Parliament—a place that has been witness to many momentous events in our country’s history. I would also like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to Honourable Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, for being with us today to inaugurate the Conference. Ladies and Gentlemen, with the Fifth Conference of the Association of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians we have come a long way since we began in 1995 from this city itself. We are delighted to welcome Afghanistan, our newest member, into the fold of the Association of SAARC. I am sure SAARC will be enriched by their membership. We admire their resilience and courage to overcome challenges and strengthen democratic institutions. Bangladesh has an exemplary record in promoting inclusive growth through micro-finance coupled with the network of self-help groups. We would very much like to learn from their experience. Bhutan has passionately embraced democracy under the visionary leadership of their Majesties, the King and the Fourth King. They have made a unique contribution to development with the concept of ‘Happiness Index’ and efforts to protect their natural habitat. Maldives has recently introduced several reforms to its polity. Their new constitution seeks to nurture its democratic institutions. The SAARC region will also benefit by emulating their policies of eco- tourism. Nepal is undergoing a process of political transition. It is noteworthy that the people of Nepal have reposed their faith in democracy and are contending to find democratic solutions to the challenges