Parties Agree To Pass 3 Clauses Of Finance Bill

Leaders of all parties in Parliament have decided in principle to pass three crucial clauses of the Finance Bill after a three-day discussion from April 21. This was decided at a meeting convened by Speaker P A Sangma here yesterday.

In his concluding speech to the trust motion, the outgoing Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda appealed the Lok Sabha to honour the agreement and pass the bill. However, there was some confusion as he mentioned Finance Bill and Appropria-tion Bill in the same breath on two occasions in his speech.

Leaders of other parties later clarified that they had agreed to take up the bill for discussion with the intention of passing it. But, some of them had insisted on a detailed three-day discussion because they had some reservations about the budget. The proposal was accepted.

Finance minister P Chidam-baram pleaded with leaders of all parties to pass at least the three clauses of the Finance Bill: Clause 79 regarding the Customs Tariff Act, Clause 82 on Central Excise Tariff Act and Clause 83 on the Additional Duties of Excise (Goods of Special Importance) Act. Leaders of all the parties indicated that they were in acceptance of his request. Sangma agreed to convey their sentiments to President SD Sharma and request him to let the House pass the Appropriation Bill in case dissolution becomes a possibility. Sangma is expected to call on the President today.

The Bill adopted earlier will become void by May 14 if it is not passed and receives Presidential assent by then. This will leave the government without any fund to meet even routine expenditure like payment of salaries.

Finance minister P Chidam-baram, however, appealed that leaders should rise above party considerations and pass the Finance Bill itself. He pointed out precedents of the Finance Bill being brought forward on six occasions in the past.

As parliamentarians, it is possible to get together to pass the Finance Bill, irrespective of difficulties which the executive faces, Chidambaram said. Former finance minister Jaswant Singh, who represented the BJP at the speakers meeting, said that his party has made no commitment to get passed either the Finance Bill or the Appropriation Bill.