Posted Sun, 05/16/2010 - 1:53am
- 1996 - The bill, first introduced in the Lok Sabha in September by then Law Minister Ramakant D Khalap, has seen more downs than ups since its inception. Lalu Prasad and Mulayam Singh Yadav frustrated efforts by H D Deve Gowda and I K Gujral, Prime Ministers during the United Front government, to have the bill see the light of the day. The bill, as the 81st Constitution amendment, was finally referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) chaired by then member of the Lok Sabha, Geeta Mukherjee.
- 1998 - The bill is re-introduced in the 12th Lok Sabha as the 84th Constitutional Amendment Bill by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government headed Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
- 1999 - The NDA government re-introduces the bill in the 13th Lok Sabha. The Left parties and the Congress gave written assurances to support the bill if it was taken up.
- 2002 - The bill is introduced in Parliament but fails to sail through.
- 2003 - Bill introduced twice in the year in the Parliament but could not see the day light.
- 2004 - The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government includes it in the Common Minimum Programme.
- 2008 - The government tables the bill in the Rajya Sabha so that the legislation does not lapse.
- 2010 - The cabinet clears the bill for taking it up in the Rajya Sabha. Passed in the Rajya Sabha on March 9, 2010 in the Budget session.
