Parliament has passed three Bills – The Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2023, The Mediation Bill and The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
The Multi-State Co-operative Societies Bill seeks to strengthen cooperatives by making their functioning more transparent, introducing a system of regular elections and prohibiting appointment of related persons in cooperatives.
The Mediation Bill seeks to halve the maximum timeline for completing mediation proceedings from 360 to 180 days.
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said that India is a signatory to Singapore Mediation Convention and it is a big economy that has taken the lead in this direction. The Minister said under this, government will establish the Mediation Council of India which is a neutral third party and a medium of low cost. He said the Bill makes pre-litigation mediation voluntary instead of mandatory. The Bill seeks to establish a Cooperative Election Authority with a view to introduce electoral reforms in the cooperative sector.
On the other hand the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill has provisions for sharing benefits of diversity commerce with locals and decriminalizes bio-diversity-related offences.
Earlier, opposition members of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A) bloc staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha over their demand for a Statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Manipur issue along with a comprehensive discussion.
The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2023 with Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur asserting that the new law will help crack down on piracy and simplify the licensing procedures. He said the Bill proposes a three-year jail term and a fine of up to five per cent of movie’s production cost for those making its pirated copies.
Meanwhile, the Manipur violence rocked the proceedings in both the Houses of Parliament ever since the Monsoon Session began on 20th of July with the opposition demanding a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a discussion on the situation in the North-eastern state.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah have said that the government was ready for a debate on the Manipur issue.
On Tuesday, the Government introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha to replace the Delhi Services Ordinance amid protests by opposition members even as Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that Parliament is empowered to make laws for Delhi and termed the objection to it is politically motivated.
Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary said the Bill vindicates the outrageous infringement of the government on the states. Responding to this, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi said Parliament is fully competent to pass the Bill.
The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a Bill that allows the use of a birth certificate as a single document for admission to an educational institution, issuance of driving license, preparation of voter list, Aadhar number, registration of marriage or appointment to a government job.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said the Registration of births and deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2023 will help create a national and state-level database of registered births and deaths which eventually ensure efficient and transparent delivery of public services and social benefits and digital registration. He was responding to a brief debate on the Bill in the Lok Sabha.
The House passed the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill and the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order Amendment Bill after a brief discussion.
Parliament has passed three key Bills – the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023 and the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023 with the Rajya Sabha giving its seal of approval on Wednesday. The Lok Sabha has already passed the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill on 26th of July and the Mines and Minerals Bill on 28th of July.
The Forest Conservation Amendment Bill exempts land within 100 kilometers of the country’s borders from the purview 0f conservation laws and permits setting up of zoos, safaris and eco-tourism facilities in forest areas.
During the debate on the Forests Bill, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said the Bill exempts certain types of land such as forest land along a rail line or a public road. Introducing the Bill, Minister Bhupender Yadav said almost 45 lakh hectares of land was diverted in the country during 1950 and 1980 when the Congress-led government was in the country. Sushil Kumar Modi of BJP and Prasant Nanda of Biju Janata Dal are among others who participated in the discussion.
The Jan Vishwas Bill seeks to promote ease of business by decriminalizing minor offences by amending 183 provisions of 42 Acts. It was passed by the House with a voice vote. It was earlier passed by the Lok Sabha on 27th of July.
Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said the Bill will promote the ease of doing business by decriminalizing a number of provisions. The Bill seeks to convert several fines to penalties, meaning that court prosecution is not necessary to administer punishments.
Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi moved the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023 when the Rajya Sabha reassembled for the post-lunch session. The Mines and Minerals Bill seeks to allow the private sector to mix out of 12 atomic minerals, including Lithium and deep-seated minerals such as gold and silver.
Replying to the debate the Minister said legislation is an important issue considering the way in which the world is changing. He said it is estimated that 95 most precious minerals are found in India but the country is still importing them. Joshi said that policy paralysis, corruption and nepotism in the previous government are to be blamed for large scale import of minerals such as coal despite the country having large reserves.
As many as 11 members including Aditya Prasad, Baaburam Nishad and Deepak Prakash all BJP, G K Vasan of Tamil Maanila Congress(M), V. Vijayasai Reddy of YSR Congress Party, M. Thambidurai of AIADMK and Sasmit Patra of Biju Janata Dal are among several others took part in the discussion.
Members of Opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc walked out demanding discussion on Manipur issue and Prime Minister’s statement. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar categorically said that he cannot issue a directive to the Prime Minister to come to the House as opposition leaders pressed for the statement.
On Thursday, the Lok Sabha passed the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 which will replace an ordinance promulgated for handling the transfers and postings of senior officers in the City Government amid a walkout by opposition parties.
The Delhi Services Bill was passed after a nearly four-hour long debate which was replied by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He made it clear that the Central Government has the power to make laws on Union Territories and Delhi being a Union Territory, the Centre enjoys full rights to make rules also.
Launching a scathing attack on the opposition for joining hands against the Central Government’s move to bring the Bill Shah predicted that once the Bill is passed, the opposition alliance will collapse. Shah alleged that the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi has not been functioning within rules and it is even not convening assembly session.
The Home Minister also asserted that the efforts of the opposition to build an alliance against the BJP was an exercise in futility as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to return to power with a massive majority. The Home Minister also cautioned the opposition which is building a coalition against the BJP-led NDA for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections saying that the Bills and laws were for the benefit of the people and should be supported or opposed solely for that purpose.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary of Congress criticized the government saying there is an apprehension that it can similarly target other states. Kalyan Banerjee of Trinamool Congress criticized the Centre for the Bill asserting that the States cannot be made subservient to the Centre.
The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed three bills-the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023, the Press and Regulation of Periodicals Bill, 2023 and the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023. All the Bills were passed by a voice vote amid a walkout by the opposition parties who were demanding a discussion on Manipur violence issue under the Rule 267 and a Statement from the Prime Minister.
Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi moved the Bill to amend the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002. It was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Sasmit Patra of Biju Janata Dal, Anil Sukhdeorao Bonde and K Laxman both BJP, M Thambidurai of AIADMK, V. Vijayasai Reddy of YSR Congress Party and Ramji of BSP took part in the discussion.
The Upper House also passed by voice vote the Press and Regulation of Periodicals Bill that replaces the existing legislation which governs the registration of print and publishing industry in the country.
Replying to the debate on the Bill, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said this will lead to ease of doing business for media and decriminalize several colonial-era penal provisions. Sulata Deo of Biju Janata Dal, Pabitra Margherita of BJP, Niranjan Reddy and Vijay Sai Reddy both of YSR Congress Party, M Thambidurai of AIADMK, Naresh Bansal of BJP are among others who participated in the discussion.
The House also passed the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023 which aims at regulating the legal profession by a single Act and seeks to target touts.
Replying to the debate, Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said legal profession is a noble profession and unlawful practices should be dealt with firmly. The Bill was passed by voice vote. Sujeet Kumar of Biju Janata Dal, Vijay Pal Singh Tomar of BJP, M Thambidurai of AIADMK, Vijaysai Reddy and Niranjan Reddy both YSR Congress Party, Ashok Bajpai of BJP, G K Vasan of TMC-(M) Ramji of BSP also participated in the discussion.
The Lok Sabha on Friday passed a Bill which seeks to empower the Commander-in-Chief and the Officer-in-Command of inter-services organizations with disciplinary and administrative powers over personnel from other forces serving in such establishments.
Moving the Bill for consideration and passage, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the Inter-Services Organizations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill is a part of a series of steps being taken by the government to strengthen the armed forces.
A Parliamentary Panel had recently recommended that the Bill be passed without any amendments. In his brief remarks, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that as of now, personnel of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force are governed in accordance with the provisions contained in their specific Service Acts – the Army Act of 1950, the Navy Act of 1957 and the Air Force Act of 1950.
At the time of enactment of these acts, most of the service organizations largely comprised personnel from a single service-either Army, Navy or Air Force. However, now there are numerous inter-services organizations where personnel of the armed forces and other forces serve together.
The Bill would also pave the way for much greater integration and jointness among the three services and lay a strong foundation for creation of joint structures in times to come and further improve the functioning of the armed forces.
The Lok Sabha also passed the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which entrusts the management accountability of the institutes with the President of India.
The Bill, which was introduced on 28th of July, was passed by the House amid disruptions by opposition members over the Manipur issue.
Replying to a debate on the Bill, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the government has no intention of interfering with the autonomy of the Indian Institutes of Management.
According to the bill, which seeks to amend the IIM Act of 2017, the President will be Visitor to the Indian Institutes of Management with powers to audit their functioning, order probes and appoint as well as remove directors.
However, according to the Amended Bill, the search-cum-selection panel for the Director's appointment will have a Visitor's nominee.
A Bill to set up a national agency to fund research across universities in the country was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh.
The Anusandhan National Research Foundation Bill-2023 seeks to set up a 50,000-crore rupees fund, with a sizeable contribution from the private sector, to "seed, grow and promote" research and development and foster a culture of research and innovation throughout India's universities, colleges, research institutions, and research and development laboratories.
Proceedings of the Rajya Sabha were disrupted on Friday and the House was adjourned for the day amid uproar by both sides over the issue of law and order situation in Rajasthan and Manipur.
While the ruling party members raised slogans of "Rajasthan pe charcha ho" the opposition members chanted "Manipur, Manipur" while seeking to discuss the violence in the North-eastern state.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan said the government business for the remaining part of the session will consist of consideration and passage of The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2023, The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023, The National Dental Commission Bill, 2023 and The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment), Bill, 202, as passed by the Lok Sabha..
He said the house will also take up the statutory resolution seeking disapproval of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 (No 1 of 2023) promulgated by the President of India on May 19, 2023 and consideration and passage of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, as passed by the Lok Sabha.
The Minister also said the house will also take up the consideration of passage of The Inter-Services (Command, Control and Discipline), bill, 2023, The Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023, The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023 and The Pharmacy (Amendment) Bill, 2023., after they have been passed by the Lok Sabha.
