Ref: https://www.facebook.com/groups/158524727542084/doc/262536127140943/
(By Dwaipayan Chakravarty and Sudhir Ukidve in Amendments to Architects Act)

December 16, 2011
 
To,
The Honorable Members of Parliament,
New Delhi
 
                                 Sub: I oppose - Architects (Amendment) Bill 2010
Sir,
 
Ministry of Human Resource Development had in August 2010 tabled in the Rajya Sabha  ‘The Architect (Amendment) Bill 2010’ (Bill No. LXIV of 2010) to amend the Architects Act, 1972.This bill was later referred to the Department related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development which submitted its report to the Rajya Sabha on 25th January 2011 (229th Report..) The report was also tabled in the Lok Sabha on 25th February 2011. The report makes some certain observations and recommendations which are apt and important.
 
Now the Hon. Minister of Human Resource Development has began debate on the same bill on 14th December 2011 without any significant changes or giving due consideration to the observations / recommendations made in the report by the parliamentary Standing Committee which asked for amendments to be comprehensive in the interest of profession.
 
We Architects strongly believe that the Architect’s Act (1972) needs comprehensive amendments that would touch and answer wider variety of issues related to the profession in light of changes that have happened during last 4 decades in the society in general and the profession of Architecture in particular. The Bill, in its present form, does not carry any amendments that are actually needed. Instead, it merely focuses on superseding the autonomy and democratic nature of the Council of Architecture to suit the wishes of the bureaucracy and the implementation of power control of the ministry.
 
Such amendments will be detrimental and harmful to the profession of Architecture, and thus to the quality and integrity of the building industry, and to my sincere belief, in its present form, miscast doubt on the primary intentions of the Govt. The Amendments have sidelined the actual needs of our profession and have not involved a proper representation of Architects to actually formulate the set of Amendments required thus.
 
I personally oppose the provisions of this bill and request you to consider and voice my opinion in the house of parliament as my representative.
 
Thanking you,
Sincerely yours,
 
Ar. Capt (Retd) Sudhir V Ukidve
Architect (CA/91/13943)