SC order on Finance Bill 2017 have far reaching consequences, says Jairam Ramesh

The Supreme Court's order on the validity of the Finance Act 2017 will have "far-reaching consequences" on any attempts to abuse the Money Bill route, said Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, the petitioner in the case. The court has referred the case to a larger constitution bench to adjudicate whether the passage of the Finance Act 2017 as Money Bill was valid.

New Delhi: After the Supreme Court referred the case of the Finance Act 2017 to a larger Constitution bench, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh opined that the order will have "far-reaching consequences."

"I am deeply grateful to the Supreme Court for this decision. It will have far-reaching consequences on any future attempts by the Modi Government to abuse the Money Bill route and is also a reminder to future Governments that any attempt at diluting our institutions will not be allowed," Jairam Ramesh said in a statement.

New rules were framed for appointments in 19 judicial and quasi-judicial tribunals in the Finance Bill which was introduced in the Parliament as a Money Bill.

The Congress leader alleged that the government had "sought to dilute appointments to nineteen different tribunals" including the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Central Administrative Tribunal.

He said: "Through the rules framed under the section (introduced by this Act), the government had extended executive control over these institutions by altering the composition of the selection committees and vastly downgrading the qualifications and experience required to staff these bodies."

"This was done with the furtive intention of vesting greater control in the Central Government on the appointments of judges to these judicial and quasi-judicial bodies," Jairam Ramesh said.