Politics
Eight Bills that will spit fire on Parliament this monsoon session
Kaushik DekaJul 21, 2015 | 14:42
Parliament’s monsoon session starts on Tuesday and will continue till August 13. While the BJP government expects a huge storm over a series of scandals that hit the party over last two months, it also has prepared a legislative agenda which also promises a huge face-off with the Opposition parties. Though the two bills — the Land Acquisition Bill and Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill — continue to be at the epicentre of the show of might in both Houses, there are six other Bills listed in the agenda which will herald significant changes in the country, from dealing with corruption to mental health, from home-buying to the socio-economic conditions of underprivileged social classes to protection and punishment of children and juveniles.
| Name of the Bill | Status | Why it is significant |
| The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015. | Joint Parliamentary Committee is scheduled to present its report by first week of August. | The Bill seeks to amend the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. This Bill has become a prestige issue for the BJP government. Failure to pass this Bill after promulgating it as an ordinance thrice has dented prime minister Narendra Modi’s image as a man of action. The Opposition is not ready to buy the government’s argument that this Bill will push development without hurting the interest of the farmers. The most important bone of contention is the removal of the consent clause and social impact assessment for five sectors. Though in the Lok Sabha the BJP has a clear majority, in Rajya Sabha it will get stuck where the Congress has 68 members compared to the BJP’s 46. The Congress and Left parties plan to delay proceedings in the Rajya Sabha which will deny the government an opportunity to call a joint session of both the Houses where it will enjoy a seamless majority. If the Rajya Sabha doesn’t take a decision on the Bill, the government cannot ask for a joint session. That’s why the BJP is expecting that the other Opposition parties, instead of remaining non-committal, will vote against the Bill and defeat it, paving the way for a joint session. |
| The Constitution (122nd Amendment) Bill, 2014 or the GST Bill. | Passed by the Lok Sabha, referred to the Lok Sabha Select Committee. On July 20, the select committee adopted a report endorsing majority provisions of the GST Bill after the Centre agreed to compensate states for revenue loss for five years. The Congress members are going to file an eight-point dissent note on Tuesday. | The Bill seeks to amend the Constitution to introduce the goods and services tax (GST). While the Bill was initially drafted by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, the Congress has now changed track and has demanded for bringing all commodities, including alcohol, tobacco and even electricity, within the ambit of the GST as opposed to states which wanted these to be outside the purview of the law. The party has also pushed for a “pure GST” which means the states will not be allowed powers to impose one per cent additional tax over and above the GST rate. The Bill is unlikely to clear the floor test without the Congress' support as it’s a constitutional amendment which requires two-third majority in both Houses. |
| The Real Estate Regulation and Development) BilI, 2013. | Standing Committee report submitted on February 13, 2014, referred to the Rajya Sabha Select Committee; it has invited suggestions from the public. | The Bill regulates transactions between buyers and promoters of residential real estate projects. It establishes state level regulatory authorities called Real Estate Regulatory Authorities (RERAs). This Bill is expected to meet roadblocks in the Rajya Sabha as the Congress has already expressed its disagreement with the Bill. While the BJP claims that the Bill will protect the interest of buyers, the Congress claims it’s a pro-builder legislation. |
| The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2014. | Passed by the Lok Sabha, pending in the Rajya Sabha. | The Bill permits juveniles between the ages of 16 and 18 years to be tried as adults for heinous offences. Also, any 16-18 year old, who commits a less serious offence, may be tried as an adult only if he is apprehended after the age of 21 years. |
| The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013. | The Standing Committee submitted its report on February 6, 2014. | The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013 amends the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. It makes the act of giving a bribe to a public servant a specific offence under abetment. The most controversial part of the Bill is the provision requiring prior sanction to prosecute serving public officials and former officials too. |
| The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill. | The Standing Committee submitted its report onDecember 19, 2014. | The Bill seeks to amend the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. It amends certain existing categories and adds new categories of actions to be treated as offences against SCs and STs, and establishes exclusive special courts to try offences under the Act. |
| The Mental Health Care Bill, 2013. | The Standing Committee report submitted its on December 9, 2013. | The Bill repeals the Mental Health Act, 1987. This Bill was required following India's ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007. The convention requires the laws of the country to align with it. The key objective of this Bill is to protect the rights of persons with mental illness and promote their access to mental health care. |
| The Child Labour (Prohibition andRegulation) Amendment Bill, 2012. | The Standing Committee submitted its report on December 13, 2013. | The Bill seeks to prohibit employment of children below 14 years in all occupations except in family businesses or in the entertainment industry, provided their education is not hampered. The Bill adds a new category of persons called “adolescent” which means a person between 14 and 18 years of age. |
Last updated: July 21, 2015 | 14:42
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