The Hindu : New Delhi News : Centre says no Constitutional changes

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Friday, Nov 24, 2006
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New Delhi

New Delhi

Centre says no Constitutional changes

Sujay Mehdudia

In view of the "relief" given by the Supreme Court to all categories of traders

NEW DELHI: The Congress-led Government at the Centre has ruled out the possibility of placing the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006, in Schedule IX by amending the Constitution during the ongoing session of Parliament to put an end to sealing and demolitions in the Capital in view of the "relief" given by the Supreme Court to all categories of traders till January 31, 2007.

"The case will now come up for hearing in February next year. The Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006, passed by Parliament in May this year had sought to put a bar on sealing and demolitions in Delhi for one year. It will be almost 10 months when the case is heard again. The Act will become invalid after May next year and by that time the Master Plan for Delhi-2021 will be in place and therefore there is no need for taking any such drastic measure like amending the Constitution as the new development will serve the purpose," said a senior Union Urban Development Ministry official.

Hoping that the issue of validity of the September 9 and 15 notifications will be dealt with favourably by the apex court as the matter was under judicial scrutiny, the official said as the present Act or the notifications has not been struck down by the court there was hope that things will settle down and only the "big fish" would face the axe.

The Centre is not taking seriously the demand by the traders for a Constitutional amendment as it is of the view that the situation does not warrant such a drastic action for a small section of the trading community and that too at the cost of honest taxpayers and law-abiding citizens.

As for the Master Plan for Delhi-2021, the official said the matter was under consideration of experts and wide ranging consultations were being held to get a feel of the ground realities so that these are incorporated in the new document that would give a direction to the planning of the city for the next almost 15 years.

The officials said the new master plan in itself was not going to be a solution for all the problems faced by the people of Delhi particularly those relating to sealing and demolitions. The new plan will be more close to what and how the city would shape up in future keeping several constraints in mind.

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