New Delhi: Government on August 8 said in Lok Sabha it proposed to bring forth a law to limit the size of ministries in smaller states to usher in political stability and to further strengthen the Anti-Defection Law.

"There should be check on the number of ministers in a government like in Delhi and Pondicherry, which are union territories, but have Assemblies. This will help bring political stability and benefit smaller states," Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani said.

He was replying to a brief debate on Constitution (99th Amendment) Bill, 2003, seeking to protect the rights of non-tribals in the newly created Bodo Territorial Council (BTC) in Assam.

Observing that a decision on establishing the BTC was taken after 21 rounds of tripartite talks involving the Centre, the Assam government and the Bodo Liberation Tigers, Advani asserted that no changes in the boundaries of states in the North East would take place, despite pressures from various quarters.

On the Congress charge that the Nationalist Social Council of Nagaland-Isaak/Muivah (NSCN-IM) in Nagaland was "terrorising" its workers, he said that Centre was within its legitimate rights to take necessary action wherever it was required.

Referring to the on-going peace negotiations with major Naga insurgent group NSCN-IM, the Deputy Prime Minister said, "We would like the NSCN-IM as well as NSCN (Khaplang) to participate in fostering peace in the North East."

The Bill was adopted unanimously by 361 votes in favour and none against.

PTI