The Hindu : National : Provide relief to traders: V.P. Singh

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Thursday, Nov 02, 2006
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Provide relief to traders: V.P. Singh

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI : The former Prime Minister V.P. Singh on Wednesday criticised the Centre for failing to save shops and businesses of lakhs of traders in the capital from sealing and favoured a constitutional amendment for providing permanent relief to them.

Mr. Singh said the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006 should be brought under the Ninth Schedule and a constitutional amendment made to end this impasse. This should be done after getting the matter examined by a legal expert committee, he added.

People's aspirations supreme

"In a democracy, people's aspirations are supreme. Keeping in mind their demands, Parliament passed a resolution to save livelihoods of traders, but the Government failed to fulfil its commitment. We need to respect people's demands, otherwise there would be a serious law and order problem," he added.

Favouring regularisation of the shops operating from residential areas, he said sealing and demolition drives were affecting a majority of population in the city. He blamed civic agencies for failing to develop the infrastructure to meet the growing needs of citizens.

Mr. Singh also questioned the criterion behind the appointment of judges. "In the Constitution, there is a provision for an All India Judicial Services. It has not happened till date," he said.

He said he would lead a protest march from Red Fort to Town Hall on Thursday to demand a halt to sealing and demolition drives.

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