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RJD Demands Reservation For OBC Women In Quota Bill

By LokMarg 21st September 2023

Rashtriya Janata Dal member Manoj Jha taking part in the discussion on the women’s reservation Bill on Thursday on behalf of his party in the Rajya Sabha demanded that women belonging to Other Backward Classes be incorporated in the legislation.

“There is still time available and I request the Bill is sent to a select committee and incorporate OBCs, along with SC and STs,” Jha said.

“Nobody is discussing the Bill being passed in the Lok Sabha but are talking about the injustices done to OBC women.”

Citing late political leader Sarojini Naidu and her demand for an “equal representation” in legislatures, Jha asked why the Bill intends to give reservation to only 33 per cent and why not 50 per cent or 55 per cent.

Speaking before Jha, YSRCP member V Vijayasai Reddy demanded reservation of women in the Upper House and the state legislative councils.

“Law Minister, please take note of it,” Reddy told Arjun Ram Meghwal.

YSRCP has often supported in passing of various bills brought by the BJP-led government.

Reddy also suggested that the month of September be announced as “women’s history month”.

“I strongly suggest and request September be declared as women’s history month,” he said.

As tabled in the Parliament, the new women’s reservation Bill in its current form says it will be effective once the decennial census and delimitation of constituencies are done.

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal had on Tuesday introduced the new Bill — Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, in its very first sitting of the Lok Sabha in the new Parliament complex, which was passed on Wednesday in the Lower House.

The Women Reservation Bill seeks to guarantee 33 per quota for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Reservation for women in Parliament and Legislative assemblies has been a promise of many parties, including the BJP for years. (ANI)

Only Demand Is Peace With Justice: Manoj Jha After Returning From Manipur

By LokMarg 30th July 2023

After returning from violence-hit Manipur on Sunday, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha urged the Kuki and Meitei communities to cooperate in restoring peace and harmony in the state saying that there is “no alternative to peace anywhere”.

“We want peace to be restored in Manipur. Peace with justice. Our only demand is that both communities should live in harmony. The situation in Manipur is dangerous. Be it Madhya Pradesh or Manipur, there is no alternative to peace anywhere,” Jha said while talking to the media.
The 21-member delegation of the grand Opposition alliance, on Saturday, arrived on a two-day visit to the state, which has seen ethnic strife and violence since May 3.

The leaders returned to Delhi on Sunday afternoon.

The 21-member Opposition delegation from both Houses includes Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Gaurav Gogoi, K Suresh and Phulo Devi Netam of the Congress; Rajiv Ranjan Lalan Singh of the JDU; Sushmita Dev from Trinamool Congress; Kanimozhi from DMK; Sandosh Kumar of the CPI; AA Rahim from CPI(M), Manoj Kumar Jha of RJD; Javed Ali Khan of SP; Mahua Maji of JMM; PP Mohammed Faizal of NCP; Aneel Prasad Hegde of JDU, ET Mohammed Basheer of IUML; NK Premachandran of RSP; Sushil Gupta of AAP; Arvind Sawant of Shiv Sena (UBT); D Ravikumar of VCK; Thiru Thol Thirumavalavan also of VCK; and Jayant Singh of the RLD.

However, on being asked whether an all-party delegation should visit the state or not, Jha said, “There have already been discussions in Parliament that an all-party delegation should visit Manipur as well.”

The visiting delegation of Opposition leaders from the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) on Sunday met Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey at Raj Bhawan and handed over a memorandum to her.

The Governor and the visiting delegation, during their interaction, suggested that a multi-party delegation be sent to violence-hit Manipur.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, who was also the part of visiting delegation, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should also visit the northeastern state.

“People welcomed us there (Manipur). NDA alliance and Prime Minister Modi should also visit Manipur,” Gogoi said while speaking to ANI.

Notably, Opposition leaders have been continuously cornering the Central government over the issue of Manipur in the Parliament since the first day of the monsoon session. The Opposition MPs are also demanding a statement from PM Modi inside the Parliament on Manipur. (ANI)

RJD Elder Manoj Jha Too Calls For Change In Collegium System

By LokMarg 16th December 2022

Disagreeing with the current collegium system, RJD member of parliament from Rajya Sabha Manoj Jha said that with the new changes, the government needs to bring the Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) bill.

Manoj Jha said that the Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) bill needs to be made in line with the Constitution so that the participation of all sections of society is ensured in judicial appointments.

Jha also questioned the NJAC bill brought by the central government in 2014, rejecting the existing collegium system and said that there was no provision for reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes in NJAC.

There is a tussle between the central government and the judiciary since 2014 regarding the collegium system.

On December 8, Minister of Law Kiren Rijiju said that there is no such proposal to reintroduce the NJAC with suitable modifications.

While responding to the several questions raised by politicians Mallikarjun Kharge and Dr John Bittas in Parliament, Law and Justice Minister said, the appointment of the Judges of the Constitutional Courts is a continuous, integrated and collaborative process between the Executive and the Judiciary.

Rijiju also said that the appointments of judges require consultation and approval from various constitutional authorities both at the state and central levels. Government appoints only those persons as Judges of High Courts who are recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium.

Giving the details, Rijiju said, “As on December 5, 2022, there is one proposal for the appointment of a Supreme Court Judge and eight proposals for the appointment of the High Court’s Judges recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium are pending with the Government.”

“Further, there are eleven proposals for the transfer of High Court Judges, one proposal for the transfer of a Chief Justice and one proposal for the appointment of the Chief Justice of a High Court recommended by the Supreme Court under consideration of the Government,” he said.

Rijiju also said that a total of 256 proposals have been remitted by the Government to the High Courts.

“During the last five years, a total of 256 proposals have been remitted by the Government to the High Courts. The proposals are remitted to the concerned High Courts on the advice of the Supreme Court Collegium,” he added.

On the question of the number of vacancies as of the date in the Supreme Court and High Court, the Law minister stated that as on December 5 against the sanctioned strength of 34 Judges, 27 Judges are working in the Supreme Court leaving seven vacancies.

“In the High Courts, against the sanctioned strength of 1108, 778 Judges are working leaving 330 vacancies,” he added.

In 2014, the National Democratic Alliance government brought the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act in an attempt to change the system of appointment of judges.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar recently passed a certain remark on the 99th Constitutional Amendment Bill paving way for the National Judicial Appointment Commission (NJAC) which was undone by the Supreme Court in 2015. (ANI)