The controversial Lok Pal Bill which includes the Prime Minister in its purview for enquiries of corruption, the Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Repeal Bill, the Petroleum Regulatory Board Bill and the Foreigners (Amendment) Bill are among crucial legislations that the Lok Sabha will consider and pass in the forthcoming session of Parliament beginning July 21.
Because this session will follow the budget session, which normally does not transact legislative business owing to pressure of financial business, the debate and discussion on Bills will be intense.
Sixteen new Bills, including one relating to special economic zones, the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Amendment Bill (which will implement demutualisation of stock exchanges), the Taxation Laws Amendment Bill that will amend the Finance Act 2003, a Bill to update existing laws covering chartered accountant, cost and work accountants and company secretaries, the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Bill 2003, the Bill to set up a national commission for children, the Factories Amendment Bill that will ensure flexibility in the employment of women during night, and the Unorganised Sector Workers Bill (to regulate the employment and working conditions of unorganised workers), the amendment to the Electricity Act 2003 and the Banking Regulation Bill that will provide more operational flexibility to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in the supervision of co-operative banks, are also on the anvil.
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Several Bills are with standing committees. These include the Illegal Migrants Bill, which redefines an illegal migrant and will be resisted stoutly by the Congress, the Banking Companies Amendment Bill, the Financial Companies Regulation Bill, the IDBI (Transfer of Undertaking and Repeal) Bill, the Bill to regulate actuaries, the Railways Protection Force (Amendment) Bill and the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill that incorporates the dual citizenship amendment.
If the standing committees give their reports, these Bills too will be discussed and passed.
The Fiscal Responsibility Bill and the amendment to the Airports Authority of India Bill are listed for discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the first two days of the session.