THURSDAY, THE 27TH JULY, 2006 (The Rajya Sabha met in the Parliament House at 11.00 a.m.) 11:00 a.m. 1. Starred Questions The Following Starred Questions were orally answered:- Starred Question No.61 regarding Safeguard agreement with IAEA. Starred Question No.62 regarding Sports infrastructure in rural areas. Starred Question No.65 regarding Stricter Visa regulations in developed Countries. Starred Question No.66 regarding Corporatisation of major ports. Starred Question No.67 regarding Role of Gram Sabhas. Answers to remaining Starred Question Nos.63, 64 and 68 to 80 were laid on the Table. 2. Unstarred Questions Answers to Unstarred Question Nos. 256 to 398 were laid on the Table. 12:00 Noon 3. Papers Laid on the Table Shri T.R. Baalu (Minister of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways) laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (a) Third Annual Report and Accounts of the Indian Institute of Maritime Studies (IIMS), Mumbai, for the year 2004-2005, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Institute. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. RAJYA SABHA Shri Priyaranjan Dasmunsi (Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of Information & Broadcasting) laid on the Table a copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Notification G.S. R. 282 (E) dated the 11th May, 2006, publishing the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2006, under sub-section (3) of section 22 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulations) Act, 1995. Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar (Minister of Panchayati Raj and Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports) laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the Lakshmibai National Institute of (i) Physical Education (LNIPE), Gwalior, for the year 2004-2005, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Institute. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. (ii (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the Sports Authority of India, ) New Delhi, for the year 2003-2004, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Authority. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. Dr. Shakeel Ahmed (Minister of State in the Ministry of Communications & Information Technology) laid on the Table a copy (in English and Hindi) of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of India (Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Department of Telecommunications) and the Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL), for the year 2006- 2007. Shri K.H. Muniappa (Minister of State in the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways) laid on the Table:- I. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers, under section 24 of the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988:— (a Annual Report and Accounts of the National Highways Authority of India ) (NHAI), New Delhi, for the year 2004-2005, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. 27TH JULY, 2006 (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Authority. II. Statement (in English and Hindi) giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. 12:01 p.m. 4. Matters raised with permission 12:01 p.m. (1) Shrimati Brinda Karat raised a matter regarding need to pay ‘Anganwadi’ workers, wages commensurate with their work. 12:03 p.m. (2) Shri A. Vijayaraghavan raised a matter regarding need to take effective measures to release nearly 2000 Indians languishing in Oman Jails. Shri E. Ahammed, Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs, responded. 12:10 p.m. (3) Shri C. Perumal raised a matter regarding spread of disease ‘Chikun Gunya’ in the State of Tamil Nadu. 12:12 p.m. (4) Shrimati N.P. Durga raised a matter regarding spread of disease ‘Chikun Gunya’ in the State of Andhra Pradesh and the need to tackle it on a war footing. #12:34 p.m. (The House adjourned at 12.34 p.m. and re-assembled at 1.00 p.m.) @1:01 p.m. (The House adjourned at 1.01 p.m. and re-assembled at 1.30 p.m.) Y1:40 p.m. (The House adjourned at 1.40 p.m. and re-assembled at 2.31 p.m.) _______________________________________________________________# From 12.14 p.m. to 12.34 p.m. some points were raised. @ From 1.00 p.m. to 1.01 p.m. some points were raised. Ψ From 1.30 p.m. to 1.40 p.m. some points were raised. RAJYA SABHA 2:31 p.m. 5. Observation by the Chair The Chairman made the following observation:— “As the Hon’ble members are aware, Hon’ble President, while returning this Bill, has desired the Parliament to reconsider the Bill: (a) in the context of the settled interpretation of the expression ‘Office of Profit’ in Article 102 of the Constitution, and (b) the underlying Constitutional principles therein. Hon’ble President has also desired that while reconsidering, among other things, the following may be specifically addressed: - (i) evolution of generic and comprehensive criteria which are just, fair and reasonable and can be applied across all States and Union Territories in a clear and transparent manner, (ii) the implication of including for exemption of the names of offices the holding of which is alleged to disqualify a member and in relation to which petitions for disqualification are already under process by the competent authority, and (iii) soundness and propriety of law in making the applicability of the amendment retrospectively. I would, therefore, urge upon the Hon’ble Members to focus on the issues referred to in the President’s message while participating in the debate.” 2:34 p.m. 6. Government Bill — Passed The Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Amendment Bill, 2006. Shri Hans Raj Bhardwaj (Minister of Law and Justice) moved:- “That the Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Amendment Bill, 2006, as passed by the Houses of Parliament and returned by the President under the proviso to article 111 of the Constitution, be taken into consideration.” 27TH JULY, 2006 The following Members took part in the discussion:— 2:40 p.m. 1. Shri Arun Jaitley 3:20 p.m. 2. Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi 3:54 p.m. 3. Shri Amar Singh** 4:06 p.m. 4. Shri Sitaram Yechury 4:19 p.m. 5. Shri N. Jothi 4:31 p.m. 6. Dr. P.C. Alexander 4:42 p.m. 7. Dr. Bimal Jalan 4:52 p.m. 8. Shri Ram Jethmalani 5:13 p.m. 9. Shri Sharad Anantrao Joshi 5:17 p.m. 10. Shri Syed Azeez Pasha 5:20 p.m. 11. Shri Dinesh Trivedi 5:37 p.m. 12. Shri Abani Roy** 5:41 p.m. Shri Hans Raj Bhardwaj replied to the debate. 6:03 p.m. The motion for consideration of the Bill was adopted. 6:22 p.m. Amendment to Clause 2 of the Bill was put to the House and the House divided — Ayes — #53 Noes — #97 The Amendment was negatived. Clause 2 was adopted. Clause 3 was adopted. Clause 4 was adopted. 6:30 p.m. The Motion moved by Shri Hansraj Bhardwaj that the Bill, as passed by the Houses of Parliament, be passed again, was put to the House and the House divided — Ayes — #98 Noes — #49 _______________________________________________________________** Spoke in Hindi. # Subject to correction. RAJYA SABHA The Motion that the Bill be passed again was adopted and the Bill was passed again. 6:33 p.m. 7. Statement by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister, made a statement regarding the situation in Lebanon. 6:40 p.m. 8. Short Duration Discussion Further discussion on the increasing incidents of terrorist violence in the country particularly in the context of recent bomb blasts in Mumbai, raised by Shri Manohar Joshi on the 26th July 2006, continued. The following Members took part in the discussion:— 6:40 p.m. 1. Shri Janeshwar Mishra** (Continued his speech from 26th July, 2006) 6:57 p.m. 2. Shri Prasanta Chatterjee 7:11 p.m. 3. Shrimati Shobhana Bhartia 7:26 p.m. 4. Shri Lalit Suri 7:31 p.m. 5. Prof. Ram Deo Bhandary** 7:43 p.m. 6. Shri Rajeev Shukla** (Speech unfinished) The discussion was not concluded. #8:25 p.m. (The House adjourned at 8.25 p.m. till 11-00 a.m. on Friday, the 28th July, 2006) _______________________________________________________________** Spoke in Hindi. # 7.57 p.m. to 8.25 p.m. some points were raised. .