All-party meet on Motor Vehicles Bill to thrash out solutions today

The Centre has convened an all-party meeting on Wednesday to thrash out the issues related to Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill stuck up in the Rajya Sabha. The Bill will again be brought up on Monday despite being listed on Tuesday.

A united Opposition on Tuesday decided not to support the “anti-federal” motor vehicles Bill unless the changes proposed by it are incorporated in it. According to a senior opposition leader, the decision to oppose the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill was taken at a co-ordination meeting of the non-NDA parties.

The Opposition parties, including the Congress, had opposed the proposed amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, saying the changes would help the corporates and dilute the powers of the state governments.

It was decided that the Bill would not be allowed to pass in the Rajya Sabha until the government incorporated all the amendments listed by the opposition parties, the leader said, requesting anonymity. The bill, which has already been passed in the Lok Sabha, was tabled in the Rajya Sabha in April, 2017 and subsequently, referred to a select panel. After taking the panel's recommendations into account, it was re-introduced in the Upper House.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel said in the House that there were different amendments on the Motor Bill by members and Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has agreed to talk to them. TMC leader Derek O Brien said there are at least 10 political parties on this and there are six-seven amendments to this Bill.