Updated: December 9, 2020 8:39:58 am
The BJP government in Karnataka on Tuesday managed to get the state legislative council to pass a land tenure reform bill with the support of the opposition JD (S), even as Congress voted against the bill. (Archive)
The BJP government in Karnataka on Tuesday succeeded in getting the state legislative council to pass a land ownership reform bill with the support of the opposition JD (S), even as Congress voted against the bill.
The Karnataka Land Reform Bill (Amendment) 2020 had previously stalled in the Council despite the legislative assembly, the lower house, passing it. The bill sought to remove Sections 79 A, B and C of the Karnataka Land Reform Act of 1961, which restricted purchases of agricultural land only to farmers and those earning less than Rs 2 lakh per year. .
On Tuesday, the bill, which also received the support of JD (S) in the assembly, was approved in the 75-member council, with 37 votes in favor.
The BJP is the largest party on the council with 31 members, while the Congress has 28 and the JD (S) 14. There are four independent members.
The bill was approved in the assembly in September even when the opposition Congress organized a strike, calling it a “death sentence” for farmers. It could not be put to a vote in the council in September, as the president adjourned the session and the discussions were not concluded.
Section 79 A of the Karnataka Land Reform Act 1961, which is now repealed, restricted the purchase of agricultural land to people earning less than two lakhs per year, while 79 B restricted the rights to purchase agricultural land. to farmers and section 79 C allowed the investigation of violations of Section 79 A and B of the law. On July 13, the state government enacted an ordinance with the governor’s consent to amend laws restricting the sale of agricultural land.
State Finance Minister R Ashok, who put the bill to the test, said during discussions that the sections it was seeking to repeal were only facilitating corruption in the offices of land registrars and tehsildars, without benefiting the farmers who wanted to sell their land.
Meanwhile, the BJP has filed a motion of no confidence against the council president, who was elected during the term of the Congress-JD (S) coalition government between 2018 and 2019. It issued a notice to move the motion on what is considered an effort to ensure the smooth passage of various bills that the party proposes for approval after gaining a head start on the Council. The strength of the party went from 27 to 31 after the November elections.
In the monsoon session, the BJP government suffered setbacks on the council. A bill for the reform of labor legislation was rejected and the agrarian reform and agrarian reform laws were not accepted despite the fact that the assembly approved the bills. BJP sources said that the ruling party hopes to have a president of its choice on the council with the support of the JD (S). He also hopes that the opposition party will help pass the bills.
“The JD (S) may not vote in favor of the APMC Amendment Act, but they can abstain from voting and this will help us,” a BJP MLC said Tuesday.
The BJP has also proposed the reintroduction of the Karnataka Cattle Killing Prevention and Preservation Bill, which was passed in the legislature in 2010 when the BJP was in power, but was shelved in 2013 by Congress after did not receive the governor’s consent. .
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