A Bill to provide for civil liabilities for nuclear damage was introduced in the Lok Sabha Friday amidst protests and walkout by the Opposition—the NDA and Left parties. <br/> <br/>The Civil Liability For Nuclear Damage Bill, 2010, whose passage is a key requirement for operationalisation of the Indo-US nuclear deal, was moved by Minister of State in the PMO Prithviraj Chavan. The Bill provides for the maximum liability of Rs 500 crore on the part of the operator in the case of a nuclear accident, a provision that is the main cause of opposition by the NDA and Left parties. As Mr. Chavan sought permission to introduce the Bill, the BJP and Left leaders opposed the legislation. They alleged that it will violate Article 21 of the Constitution, a fundamental right that guarantees right to life. <br/> <br/>They said the Bill also compromises the right of victims to approach courts for enhanced compensation. Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj said her party has conveyed to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh that the bill should be amended but the government is adamant on introducing it in the present form. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, argued that the members could not speak on the merits of the bill at the introduction stage and could only talk about legislative competence of the House on taking up the proposed legislation. <br/> <br/>Significantly, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and RJD leader Lalu Prasad, who had opposed the Bill in March when the first attempt was made to introduce it, this time appeared to be siding with the Government. The Bill was deferred in the first half of the Budget Session following stiff resistance from the Opposition. <br/>