Seeking to assure the Left allies who have been opposing the Indo-US nuclear deal, the government o Wednesday said it will take the sense of the House on the agreement before it is taken up for ratification by the American Congress.
Coverage: Indo-US Nuclear Tango
"Before we go for its (Indo-US nuclear deal) ratification in the American Parliament, we will come to Parliament to take the sense of the House even though there is no provision in the Constitution that stands in our way," External Affairs Minister Mukherjee said in an interaction with media persons during an orientation programme on parliamentary reporting.
He was responding to a question on some parties demanding that international treaties should be ratified by Parliament.
The Left, as also several other parties, have been expressing apprehensions over various aspects of the deal and have been demanding that the sense of Parliament be taken into consideration and had contended that the government had no majority on the issue.
Mukherjee said the sense of the House would be taken when after the three-step process of the deal would be completed.
"There are three processes, one is 123, which has been done, the second is the IAEA India- specific safeguards agreements that are yet to be done, and the third is amendment to the NSG guidelines that is again yet to be done," he said.
Asked about the legal standing of a Parliamentary resolution, Mukherjee said the government cannot go against the resolution.
"Parliament has the real authority to say yes or no to a treaty," he said.
"There is hardly any treaty that has not been referred to Parliament. Parliament has to be informed about international treaties," the external affairs minister said.
He explained that a treaty has to be implemented through an Act for which legislation has to come to Parliament.
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