Uniform Civil Code bill won’t be introduced in winter session, says Bommai

Amid the ongoing dispute over Belagavi in Karnataka, the 10-day winter session of the state legislature started at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in the border district on Monday even as chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill won’t be introduced during the ongoing session

Amid the ongoing dispute over Belagavi in Karnataka, the 10-day winter session of the state legislature started at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in the border district on Monday even as chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill won’t be introduced during the ongoing session.

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai (PTI)

While the Opposition is expected to take on the government over alleged corruption, voter data theft among other issues, for the ruling BJP it is the last session before the assembly election, since only a joint session and budget session will be left before poll dates are announced.

The session will take place till December 30. Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri said that six Bills are likely to be discussed during the session. Of the six draft laws to be taken up for discussion and approval, four are new ones. Two Bills, including the Kannada Comprehensive Development Bill, were already tabled in the previous session in Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, CM Bommai said that the Bill regarding the UCC implementation in the state will not be introduced during the ongoing winter session. “There are no chances of tabling it (UCC Bill) during this session,” Bommai told the reporters.

When asked about BJP MLC N Ravi Kumar planning to introduce a private member Bill reportedly seeking ban on halal certification, Bommai said, “Let’s see when it comes; a private member Bill has its own position. We will see what it is.” BJP MLC N Ravi Kumar had written to the legislative council chairman, seeking permission to introduce a private member’s Bill in the legislature session to amend the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, to ban any private organisation from issuing certification of foods.

BJP government’s decision to hike reservation for SCs from 15%to 17% and STs from 3% to 7%, is yet to be ring-fenced under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, leaving it vulnerable to a legal battle as it exceeds the 50% caps fixed by the Supreme Court. The decision is expected to come for discussion during the session.

Apart from the SC/ST, the session will also discuss the demand by various communities like Panchamasalis and Vokkaligas for internal reservation.

The ruling BJP is also planning to counter the opposition especially the Congress, seeking to capitalise on the statement by its leaders’ “trivialising” the Mangaluru car blast, and “anti-Hindu” remarks. Karnataka PCC president D K Shivakumar had earlier made a statement seemingly suggesting that the Mangaluru car blast was “orchestrated” by the BJP government to divert attention from the voter data theft scandal, while its working president Satish Jarkiholi recently made remarks on the origins of the word Hindu and its “dirty meaning”.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader KS Eshwarappa skipped the opening day of the winter session and questioned Bommai on why he hasn’t been re-inducted into the cabinet despite getting a clean chit in the suicide case of a contractor. The 74-year-old veteran leader has also called a press conference on Tuesday in Bengaluru.

“I have been a member of the assembly since 1989. I have never taken leave since then. But, I have decided not to attend it now because I am unable to answer the questions of my followers. Despite getting a clean chit, why am I not in the cabinet? Through the media, I want to ask the CM, why am I not included in the cabinet?” Eshwarappa said.

(With inputs from PTI)