Law Commission to brief joint committee of Parliament on simultaneous polls on Thursday
New Delhi (PTI): The Constitution amendment bill that seeks to lay down a legal framework to hold simultaneous polls does not require ratification by at least 50 per cent of the state legislatures to come into force, the Law Commission has told a joint committee of Parliament examining the draft legislation.
In a brief opinion rendered to the joint committee on November 28, the law panel said the bill falls under Parliament's power to make laws which does not entail ratification by states.
The brief opinion is a follow-up of a detailed opinion given by the Law Commission to the parliamentary panel in October.
The fresh document was given to the parliamentary committee ahead of its meeting on Thursday when Law Commission chairman Justice Dinesh Maheshwari (retd), Member Secretary Anju Rathi Rana and Joint Secretary Varsha Sinha will brief members on the finer legal points.
The joint committee of Parliament is examining bills on holding simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
The law panel said the proposed amendment does not disturb the basic structure of the Constitution in any way.
"...the Law Commission is clearly of opinion that any curtailment of the term of the House(s) by the proposed amendment does not violate the basic structure of the Constitution," it asserted.
On the issue of federalism, the commission said federalism as envisaged and formulated in Indian Constitution is not that of compartmentalisation of different units; it is rather of weaving different units together with a strong Centre as the pivot.
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SIT formed to probe second sexual assault case against expelled Cong MLA Mamkootathil
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe a second case of sexual assault against expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, police officials said on Friday.
The SIT will be led by G Poonguzhali, Assistant Inspector General at the Police Headquarters.
The team also includes a DSP rank officer and sub-inspectors, officials added.
The second sexual assault complaint was received by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, which it forwarded to the state police chief.
ALSO READ: Cong expels rape-accused MLA Mamkootathil from party's primary membership
Following this, the Crime Branch registered a case and launched an investigation.
Crime Branch officials said the email complaint contained only the sender's email ID and no other contact details.
As part of the probe, they have sent a reply email requesting that the complainant contact them and provide her statement.
The complainant has alleged that she was sexually assaulted under the false promise of marriage, a Crime Branch official said.
However, details such as the location and date of the alleged incident are not currently available to the police.
The SIT will attempt to trace the sender of the email and record her statement, which is crucial for further investigation, the officer said.
Mamkootathil was expelled from the Congress party on Thursday after a court here rejected his anticipatory bail petition in another rape case.
Police said he is currently absconding, and a manhunt is underway in Kerala and neighbouring states.
