UPCOC falters in state's upper house

The UP government today suffered an embarrassment in the Legislative Council, when a bill seeking to combat organised crime, could not be passed by the House, where Opposition is in majority. The Uttar Pradesh Control of Organised Crime Bill (UPCOCB), 2017 was again sent back to the Assembly, which has already passed it in December last year. As the Bill, which was returned by the Select Committee without any change, was taken up for discussion and passage in the Council today, a vociferous Opposition stalled its passage. Speaking during the discussion, Leader of the House Dinesh Sharma said, "Since the Select Committee during its meeting did not get any amendments, hence this report should be considered as passed." Naresh Uttam (SP) said, "The UP government will misuse UPCOCA, hence it should not be passed. On the day of the sitting of the select committee, BSP leader and member of the committee Sunil Chittor's father had died, and despite his request to extend the date, the government did not extend the dates.

The government seems to be in a hurry to pass the bill." On this, Dinesh Sharma (who is also the deputy chief minister), said, "In the meeting of the Select Committee, nine out of 11 members were present, hence no one can challenge its authenticity. During this, no amendments were presented before the select committee." In the Upper House, the ruling BJP is in minority unlike in the state Assembly, where it enjoys brute majority of 325 (along with allies) in the 403-member House. In the 100-member Council, the BJP has just 13 members. The Samajwadi Party has 61 members, the BSP nine, Congress two, RLD one and other parties 12. Two seats are vacant.

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