Govt brings bill to clear decks for appointment of PM's secretary

Ignoring objections by political parties, the government on Friday introduced a bill in Lok Sabha to clear legal hurdles in appointment of former Telephone Regulatory Authority of India Chairman Nripendra Misra who joined as principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi more than a month back.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill is 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.

Trinamool Congress objected to introduction of the bill, saying it violates the rules of procedures and takes away independence of the TRAI.

There was uproar, amidst which the bill was introduced.      

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

Government strongly defended the move. Law and Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the government is in "full powers to bring the bill" and the effort was to bring TRAI on par with other similar organisations like the Competition Commission.

Misra, a 1967-batch retired IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre who retired in 2009, joined the Prime Minister’s Office the same day the ordinance was promulgated and the bill has been brought to give his appointment the requisite legal backing.