Petition Regarding Maternity Benefit Act
Parliament: The Supreme Court will hear on February 17, 2023, a PIL seeking to allow citizens to file petitions directly in Parliament for debate on important issues.
The petition said that citizens have a fundamental right to invite discussion on issues of public interest. The court had asked the counsel for the petitioner that if the petition is allowed, it may hamper the functioning of the Parliament, as India has a large population compared to other countries.
The court had asked that you want it to be declared under Article-19 (1) (a) of the Constitution. This will block the functioning of the Parliament. Constitutional experts are of the opinion on this topic that this is not a legal issue in which the court should interfere.
Tehseen Zaman, who is aware of these, says, “There is every possibility that the Supreme Court will reject this petition because this matter is political and not legal, on which the Parliament itself will have to decide. If the Parliament wants, it can find a way out on this issue to increase public participation. Or Parliament may separately fix a fixed time during the session in which the petition of citizens can be debated or discussed”.
He further said, “Just as there is a provision for private member’s bill in the Parliament, similarly the Parliament can consider finding a way out regarding the citizens’ petition.”
what’s in the petition?
In the petition filed in the Supreme Court, it was said that as an ordinary citizen of the country, when it comes to participating in the democratic process, he feels that he has no rights. After the people have voted and elected the representatives, there is no scope for any further participation.
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