Centre to hear out Left

The UPA today pleaded with leaders of the Left parties to facilitate smooth passage of the Budget and undertook to address their concerns ov...

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The UPA today pleaded with leaders of the Left parties to facilitate smooth passage of the Budget and undertook to address their concerns over issues like the Patents Bill.

Sources said leaders of CPI(M), CPI, Forward Bloc and RSP raised the Patents Bill issue at the UPA-Left co-ordination committee meeting at the PM’s residence today. Assuring them that it would be sorted out, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee requested them not to move any cut motion or amendments. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh later said the six-member committee of UPA-Left parties for floor co-ordination in Parliament was seized of the issue. The meeting was chaired by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

Sources in the Left said, ‘‘They practically wanted to be reassured that there would be no trouble from us.’’

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The Left leaders wanted an expeditious legislation of the employment guarantee scheme and right to information. Ramesh said: ‘‘The Left parties are not in favour of delay in the passage of pending Bills. Most of the members felt that these Bills should be passed in this session itself.’’

The participants also decided to set up a sub-committee to deliberate on the electoral reforms suggested by the Election Commission and the comments of the Law and Justice Ministry on this count. The EC has suggested 12 reforms, including submission of affidavits on assets and court cases.

CPI leader D. Raja, RSP’s Abani Roy and FB’s Debabrata Biswas were critical of the restrictions imposed by EC on the movement of Central ministers and MPs during the polls in the three states.