Bills

Winter Session of Lok Sabha sees 57.87% productivity despite disruptions

The Lok Sabha's Winter Session, hamstrung by disruptions over issues ranging from Adani to billionaire George Soros' "links" with the Congress leadership and Amit Shah's Ambedkar remarks, had a productivity of 57.87 per cent, official sources said on Friday. The Lower House met on November 25 and was adjourned sine die (indefinitely) on Friday amid protests by the opposition and the treasury benches over the alleged insult to BR Ambedkar and directions by Speaker Om Birla to members against holding demonstrations at any gate of Parliament. Among the key bills introduced during the session were two that lay down the mechanism to hold simultaneous elections. The two bills were on Friday referred to a joint committee of Parliament for examination and wider consultations. The Lower House last week saw a debate on 75 years of the Constitution's adoption, during which the treasury and the opposition benches launched a series of attacks at each other. The Lok Sabha sat an extra day last

Anti 'urban-Naxals' Bill re-introduced in Maharashtra, CM stresses its need

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday re-introduced the Special Public Security Bill in the state assembly, and said the proposed law is not aimed at suppressing genuine dissenting voices, but to close down the dens of urban Naxals. The previous Maharashtra government led by Eknath Shinde had in July this year tabled this bill, named as 'Maharashtra Special Public Security Act, 2024', in the assembly during the monsoon session. However, it could not be passed at that time. With the new government led by Fadnavis at the helm after the November 20 assembly elections, he re-introduced the bill in the House. Speaking on the occasion, Fadnavis said the bill will be referred to the joint select committee of the state legislature so that all doubts related to it can be cleared. Views of the stakeholders will be considered and the bill will be cleared in the monsoon session of the state legislature to be held in July next year in Mumbai, he said. "Naxalism is not ...

Lok Sabha passes Bhartiya Vayuyan Vidheyak Bill to replace Aircraft Act

The Lok Sabha on Friday passed a bill to replace the 90-year-old Aircraft Act and further improve the ease of doing business in the aviation space. The Bhartiya Vayuyan Vidheyak Bill 2024 seeks to remove redundancies and replace the Aircraft Act, 1934 -- which has been amended 21 times -- at a time when India is one of the fastest-growing civil aviation markets in the world. Moving the bill for passage in the Lower House, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the ministry will be setting up an "efficient online mechanism" to address grievances of people, including about the rise in airfares, and ensure a timely response. The ministry is looking at having a balanced approach where there is a level playing field for the airlines and the people are not exploited with higher airfares, he said. The bill includes provisions to regulate the design and manufacturing of aircraft to support the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative for self-reliance. Naidu said the civil aviation ministry

A full Budget, implementing pending reforms to keep finance minister busy

While the ministry has started work on the Budget, it is expected to begin industry consultations

Taiwanese parliament passes bills expanding legislative oversight

Amendments will enhance checks and balances and empower the legislature to combat corruption, the move has sparked significant concerns within civil society and academia

Telecommunications, 3 criminal justice Bills get President Murmu's assent

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday gave assent to the three new criminal justice bills which were cleared by Parliament last week. The three new laws -- the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act -- will replace the colonial era Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872. While replying to a debate on the three bills in Parliament, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said the focus were on delivering justice rather than handing down punishment. The legislation aim at completely overhauling the criminal justice system in the country by giving definition of various offences and their punishments. These have given a clear definition of terrorism, abolished sedition as a crime and introduced a new section titled "offenses against the state".

Parliament winter session ends ahead of schedule after wave of suspensions

146 MPs were suspended in the two Houses for unruly behaviour

New criminal laws get Parliament nod, RS passes Bills with voice vote

Three new bills that seek to overhaul the colonial-era criminal laws, making punishments more stringent for crimes such as terrorism, lynching, and offences endangering national security, were approved by Parliament on Thursday. The bills were passed in the Rajya Sabha by voice vote. The Lok Sabha had approved these on Wednesday. The bills that repeal and replace the Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act will usher in a new era in the criminal justice system, Home Minister Amit Shah said while replying to a debate in the Upper House of Parliament. The Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bills will now go to the president for her assent, upon which these will become laws. Just like in the Lok Sabha, the legislations were passed in the Rajya Sabha in the absence of most opposition MPs, who were suspended for unruly behaviour while pressing for a discussion on the December

Govt seeks to withdraw 3 bills on criminal laws, plans to make new ones

The government has decided to withdraw the three bills that aim to replace existing criminal laws and introduce them afresh following various recommendations made by a parliamentary panel. The three redrafted bills are expected to introduced in Parliament on Tuesday. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 11 along with Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam bills. The three bills seek to replace the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, 1898, the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, respectively. Home Minister Amit Shah, in three identical signed statements submitted to Parliament, said the decision was taken after the parliamentary standing committee on home affairs made recommendations suggesting changes in the three bills following a series of discussions with domain experts and various stakeholders. He said in the statement for withdrawal that to make comprehensive amendments to the Indian Pen

Supreme Court asks Kerala Governor to meet CM, minister to discuss bills

The Supreme Court on Wednesday noted that Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has taken decisions on eight bills and asked him to meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan along with the minister concerned to discuss the bills, saying let us hope that some political sagacity takes over. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud took note of the submissions of Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the office of the governor, that out of eight Bills, seven have been reserved for consideration by the President, while one has been assented by Khan. The top court, meanwhile, permitted the state government to amend its plea to seek issuance of guidelines for the governors on grant or decline of assent to the bills passed by the assembly in a time-bound manner. We will record that the governor will discuss the matter with both the chief minister and the minister in charge and related to the Bill..., the bench said. Let us hope that some political sagacity takes over the state an

Nine Bills pending in Chhattisgarh Assembly due to delay in Guv's assent

Of the nine pending Bills, two are aimed at increasing reservations in government jobs and educational institution admissions and have been passed by the state Legislative Assembly

Americans are pulling cash from their retirement savings to pay bills

Overall, the average retirement account balance decreased slightly from the previous quarter

What was he doing for 3 yrs, SC questions delay by TN Guv on assenting

The Supreme Court on Monday questioned the delay on the part of Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi in granting assent to several Bills passed by the state Assembly, asking as to why should governors wait for parties to move the top court with their grievances. Posing tough questions, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud asked what was the governor doing for three years, noting that the Bills were pending since January 2020. Observing that the issue was whether there was a delay in the discharge of the constitutional functions entrusted to the office of the governors, the court also said it would deal with the question whether a governor can sit over the Bills without sending them either back to the Assembly or to the President. The top court made the observations as it deferred the hearing on the Tamil Nadu government's plea alleging delay by Governor Ravi to December 1 after Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Office of the Governor, sought a postponement. The

TN Governor returns 10 bills to be discussed in special Assembly session

The Tamil Nadu government accused Raj Bhavan of 'sitting on' 12 bills and causing deliberate delays

Digital India Bill may have provisions against bundling, tying of services

With a chapter on Open Internet, the new bill would aim to ensure that internet-based services are provided in a non-discriminatory manner

Many regressive colonial-era criminal laws retained in new bills: IPF

A think-tank working for police reforms on Wednesday claimed that most of the "regressive" provisions in colonial-era criminal laws have been retained in the three new bills pending before Parliament to replace the IPC, the CrPC and the Indian Evidence Act. The Indian Police Foundation (IPF) has submitted a memorandum to the parliamentary committee on Home, urging for fundamental changes in the Indian criminal justice system while enacting the three proposed laws -- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya (BS) -- currently under consideration in Parliament. The BNS, the BNSS and the BS seek to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively. "While expectations were raised that the new legislations would present a unique opportunity to fix a broken criminal justice system, the IPF is disappointed that most of the regressive provisions in the colonial criminal la

Parliamentary standing committees that scrutinise Bills get less to do

The 17th Lok Sabha has the worst record compared to the previous three Houses in referring legislation to the institution framework

Lok Sabha passes Bill for jointness & integration of armed forces personnel

Inter-Services Organisation Bill 2023 hands all disciplinary and administrative powers concerning the personnel serving in or attached to these organisations to heads of Inter-Services Organisations

Bill payment reminders, OTPs, promotional content to cost more for firms

Enterprise messages include commercial communication like bill payment reminders, one-time passwords, and promotional messages.

31 bills to be introduced in Lok Sabha in the monsoon session of Parliament

The government is likely to discuss a total of 31 bills in the monsoon session of Parliament, including bills that have already been introduced in the lower house