By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, December 6, 2015 : The ruling Biju Janata Dal [BJD] on Sunday distanced itself from party’s Lok Sabha member Baijayant Jay  Panda’s observation in a newspaper article on the need to review the powers of the Rajya Sabha to block legislations.

He pleaded in the write-up for a “check” on the powers of the Upper House.

“Whatever Panda said on the Rajya Sabha’s role, that is his personal opinion and does not reflect the stand of BJD that believes in the rich tradition of the Parliamentary democracy,” BJD’s general secretary Narendra Kumar Swain said in a statement released in the party’s official letterhead.

“In a federal democratic set-up, significance of Rajya Sabha is very important. Indian Constitution makes provision of a two-tier parliamentary system and provides a permanent legislature in the name of Rajya Sabha whose members are being elected by state Legislative Assemblies,” the statement said.

“The BJD believes that Rajya Sabha as a strong pillar, balances the federal system under democratic set-up,” the party said.

Mr Panda, a Lok Sabha MP from coastal Kendrapara segment, in a newspaper article  on November 26, said that the “reforms must reduce Rajya Sabha’s power to block the popular mandate…” and mooted for a “rethink on veto power of Rajya Sabha.”

Reacting to Mr Panda’s observation, six MPs on Friday moved a notice alleging breach of privilege and contempt of the Rajya Sabha against him in the Lok Sabha.

In the notice to Chairman of the Upper House, Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Rajya Sabha MPs Mohsina Kidwai (Congress), K.C. Tyagi (JD-U), Naresh Agrawal (SP), T.K. Rangarajan (CPI-M), D. Raja (CPI) and Derek O’ Brien (Trinamool Congress) held that the views expressed by Mr. Panda constitute a “breach of privilege” and “contempt of the House.”

In the notice, the six MPS took strong objection to his observation that Constitutional “reforms must reduce Rajya Sabha’s power to block the popular mandate” and favouring a “rethink on veto power of Rajya Sabha.”