New Delhi: A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in Supreme Court seeking directions to the centre and the states to publish draft legislation on their websites in the public domain at least 60 days ahead of introducing it in assembly so that there can be enough debates, discussions and analysis of the laws so that the message is not lost in the legal jargon. The plea comes in the backdrop of the ongoing farmers' protest for over a month now against Centre's three farm laws.
The PIL said that in 2014 the central government itself had conceived of a Pre-legislative Consultation policy making it mandatory for the ministries and the concerned departments to publish information on legislation in the public domain for a minimum period of thirty days but it was not followed by the executive. The PIL states for complying with the decisions taken back then.
The petitioner, Advocate and BJP member Ashwini Upadhyay, contended that in today's democratic process with the advanced media and technology it is not appropriate for the government to pass laws overnight with scarcely any debate or consultation.
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"Due to lack of prior discussion, farmers' protests also erupted over the three laws," said the petitioner.
"Petitioner feels that the three farm laws are against the middle man and in the welfare of farmers but selfish politicians succeeded in misguiding them as the draft was not published for wide consultation and feedback before introducing in Parliament. This has led to misinformation and protest among the farmers and political vultures are using this to advance their own cause, using the farmers as a front," read the plea.
Petitioner has also sought for directions to the centre to ensure that all draft and final legislations are available on government websites and in the public domain in all regional languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the constitution.
