BJD's Jay Panda backs bill to amend TRAI Act

Biju Janata Dal member of Parliament Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda on Monday supported the Bill to amend Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, which seeks to remove a legal hurdle in the appointment of former chairman of telecom regulatory body Nripendra Misra RPT Misra as principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

While his party’s stand on the issue is not clear yet, Panda said the PM should have the option to have people of his choice in his office and suggested that the opposition should take up “bigger issues” with the government.

“My personal opinion about it that we should not be petty about it. It was in fact cooling off period. Almost all regulatory and other government agencies have a two-year cooling off period. TRAI had an indefinite cooling off period which is being rectified by ordinance and now by the Act.”

He added, “I don’t think there is any problem in it. The PM should have the option to have people of his choice in his office. And it would only bring TRAI in line with other regulatory agencies.”

Ignoring objections by political parties, government last week introduced the Bill in the Lok Sabha to replace an ordinance issued on May 28 to change a clause in the TRAI Act which would have prevented Misra from taking up the government post after retirement.

Congress has indicated it would oppose the legislation, saying “unholy haste and focus in having one person, who is challenged by law, shows that they have scant regard for the processes of law.”