Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bill, 2019 passed by Lok Sabha

Lok Sabha passed Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bill, 2019 by a voice vote and amendments moved by members of opposition parties were also defeated. The bill ends automatic nomination of Congress President as trustee of Jallianwala Bagh Memorial trust. It was introduced in Lok Sabha by Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State for Culture on 8 July 2019 that.

Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bill, 2019

It amends Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Act, 1951 which provides for erection of a National Memorial in memory of those killed or wounded on 13 April 1919, in Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar.  It also creates a Trust to manage National Memorial.

Composition of Trustees: Under 1951 Act, Trustees of Memorial include- (1) Prime Minister as Chairperson, (2) President of Indian National Congress (INC), (3) Minister in-charge of Culture, (4) Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, (5) Governor of Punjab, (6) Chief Minister of Punjab and (7) 3 eminent persons nominated by central government.

Bill amends this composition of trustees provision to remove President of Indian National Congress as a Trustee.  Amendment bill also clarifies that in case of no Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, then leader of single largest opposition party will be Trustee.

Tenure of Trustee: Act provides that 3 trustees nominated by central government will be trustees for a period of 5 years and will also be eligible for renomination.

Bill also allows central government to terminate term of a nominated trustee before expiry ofe period of his term without assigning any reason.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2019