Gandhinagar. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said his ministry will make changes in the charter of Civil Defense and Home Guards within four months to make it more relevant and useful. Addressing the 14th All India Conference of Civil Defense and Home Guards here, Shah said that if the role of Civil Defense and Home Guards is not changed as per the current needs of the country, they will become irrelevant.
The minister said, “I believe that keeping in mind the needs of the country today, there is a need to reconsider the role of these two organizations so that they can be made more relevant.” He said that these changes will be implemented in four months and many new things will be added to it. Shah said, “…we will try to make it relevant and useful and work towards bringing new consciousness, new life in it.” He said that if the charter of an organization is not changed for fifty years, then both the organization and the charter become irrelevant.
The Union Minister said, “India has seen radical changes in the last fifty years. Because of technology our needs have changed and the country has progressed. Has gone. “Even if there is no war, (civil defense and home guards) can be involved in disaster management and traffic management.” Shah also objected to a Supreme Court decision passed a few years ago, which “attempted to link civil defense and home guards to their income.”
“(Their income) should be increased in time, but the basic spirit is of service,” he said. If we kill this spirit through decisions, this organization will become almost dead and will become an ordinary job.” Shah said that according to the current charter of the Home Guard and Civil, its personnel are responsible for preparing people for war emergencies, protecting civilians, training people to survive the effects of war, for non-violent civil resistance. It is essential to generate ideas, organize communities and help repair war-damaged infrastructure and boost morale.
He said that both the organizations have done commendable work in disaster management, but their personnel need training and collective approach and their role in disaster management should be defined in the charter. Shah congratulated the Home Guards and Civil Defense personnel for their services during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Union Minister said that 27 soldiers lost their lives while serving during the pandemic. He said that there should also be a blueprint for them to assist in local law and order.
Shah said they should also help the education sector by working to reduce the dropout rate among students and improving the quality of education. He said that youth should be encouraged to join these organizations.
The Union Minister said, “Unfortunately, service has been linked to income… Just as NCC (National Cadet Corps) and NSS (National Service Scheme) attract people from all sections of the society, Home Guard and Civil Defense also attract people from all sections of the society. All sections of society should be represented and they should become an instrument of service and development and security of the country.”
Lack of clarity in laws requires judicial intervention: Amit Shah
Emphasizing the need for clarity in laws, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said the judiciary can intervene only when those responsible for making laws leave ambiguity in them. The Union Minister was addressing the Gujarat Assembly as part of a training workshop for the officers of the Assembly Secretariat on drafting legislation.
Addressing the House, Shah said, “I know whatever I am going to say will create controversy, but I want to tell you that the judiciary will intervene only if you find any ambiguity in drafting the law.” Will leave. The more clarity there is in the law, the less interference the courts will have.” Along with MLAs, MPs, former MLAs and Speakers were also present in the House.
Referring to the Narendra Modi-led government’s move to abrogate Article 370, he said, “When the article was drafted, it was clearly written that it is a temporary provision of the Constitution which can be amended by Parliament.” Can be removed through an amendment to be passed by simple majority.” He said, “Now, if it had been written that this is a constitutional provision rather than a temporary one, then we would have required a two-thirds majority during voting instead of a simple majority. “Thus, greater clarity leads to less judicial interference.” In August 2019, the Center had abolished the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution. Later, the Supreme Court also upheld the decision to repeal it, calling it a temporary provision.
Shah claimed that “bad drafting” of laws is the main reason why today the distinction between the legislature, executive and judiciary is becoming blurred. He said, “Our Constitution is very clear about the roles of the legislature, executive and judiciary. It says that the government will make policies and the legislature will pass laws according to those policies. The judiciary will define the laws and the executive will implement them. But due to the laws not being drafted properly, today the line between these three has become blurred.” Shah said that the “art of law making” is gradually becoming extinct. He also said that every Legislative Assembly should organize such workshops for its staff to enhance drafting skills.
He also stressed that the officials involved in the process should be given guidance as to what should be included in the law and which provisions should become part of the rules of that law. Shah said that Dr. B. R. The Constitution of India prepared and edited under the leadership of Ambedkar is the most ideal example in the whole world in terms of drafting legislation.
He said, “At that time there were 72 barristers in the Constituent Assembly…about 14 percent of their time was spent in discussing fundamental rights. After such intense discussions our Constitution was prepared. And today, some NGOs advise us on the issue of fundamental rights.” The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said that while drafting any law, the national and international perspective should be kept in mind and the common man should also understand its language.
Giving examples, Shah said that the three new criminal laws Indian Judicial Code, Indian Civil Defense Code (BNSS), Indian Evidence Act (BSA) have been prepared keeping in mind the Indian perspective as per the instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shah said, “In the next three-four years, when these laws will be fully implemented, from the filing of the FIR to the hearing in the Supreme Court, justice will be provided within three years. In the coming days, this reform will be considered the biggest reform in the world.”