INDIA BUSINESS WORLD - JULY 2006
THE MONTH THAT WAS...

JAITLEY HAD VISION TO PREDICT THIS WILL HAPPEN

MUCH before the Supreme Court conveyed its anger over the moves initiated by the UPA government to ‘poach on the judiciary's turf' by enacting the Delhi Laws Act, the Centre had been forewarned by the BJP that the law would not pass judicial scrutiny.

During the discussion on the Bill in the Rajya Sabha on May 15, BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley, even while supporting the move, had sought to warn the ruling combine against possible consequences.

We're supporting this Bill. But we must be aware of what we're doing, and what the future fall-out is going to be, not only for the structures which are threatened, but also for us, as an institution, sitting in this august House,'' Mr Jaitley said, adding, “When this House legislates, we must do it in a manner that we are fully conscious that we're doing the correct thing, that we're Constitutionally following the correct processes and that we're going through the correct course.''

Citing the reason on which the law could be struck down by the courts, he said: “What this law does is it does not do anything to the master-plan, the sealing power, the demolition power —it allows them to exist, but merely says court orders enforcing that power will not be operative for a period of one year''