N-liability Bill tabled in Parliament

The controversial Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill, 2010, was introduced in the Lok Sabha today amid protests from Opposition parties. The Bill is a key requirement for operationalisation of the Indo-US nuclear deal. 

While minister of state in the PMO Prithviraj Chavan introduced the Bill, opposition members from the NDA and Left parties staged a walkout terming it as “illegal” and “unconstitutional”. 

The bill provides for maximum liability of Rs 500 crore on the part of the operator in case of a nuclear accident — a provision opposition parties object to. 

As Chavan sought permission to introduce the bill, CPI(M) members Basudeb Acharia and Ramchandra Dome, BJP leaders M M Joshi and Yashwant Sinha and CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said the proposed legislation would violate Article 21 of the Constitution — a fundamental right that guarantees right to life.