SECUNDERABAD: Ahead of election notification in 58 cantonments, including the one in Secunderabad, the
ministry of defence is set to introduce and pass the Cantonment Bill 2021 in the monsoon session of
Parliament, which begins from July 19.
According to general secretary,
All Cantonments Citizens Welfare Association (ACCiWA), Jeetender Surana, the Centre seeks to pass 22 bills in Lok Sabha during the monsoon session including the Cantonment Bill, 2021, which deals with greater democratisation, modernisation and overall improvement in the governance structure of Cantonment Boards.
The ACCiWA, on behalf of 62 Cantonments, opposed it and given suggestions to modify the bill. It sent the suggestions to the Prime Minister and defence minister,” Surana told TOI.
ML Agarwal, chairman, ACCiWA, who forwarded the suggestions, said municipal corporations, councils and nagar panchayats be constituted in place of Cantonment Boards, in line with Article 243(Q) of the Constitution, and Section 209 of Draft Act 2020 be removed as it robs elected members of their power.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, former
SCB ward members, led by Malkajgiri Lok Sabha TRS incharge, M Rajasehkar Reddy, met Rajya Sabha member, Captain
V Lakshmikanta Rao and urged him to extend the time to file suggestions on draft CLAR-2021, by 90 days.