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The Central government is planning to table seven new Bills, including those for setting up a Central Tribal University in Telangana and providing women's quota in Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry Assemblies, during the upcoming Winter Session of the Parliament.
The Winter Session of Parliament is scheduled to begin on December 4. The government has listed 18 Bills, including the three proposed criminal justice laws that seek to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC) 1860, Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill 2023, introduced in the Lower House of Parliament on August 11, were referred to the Standing Committee on Home Affairs by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha in consultation with the Speaker, Lok Sabha and intimation thereof was published in Bulletin-Part II, dated August 21, 2023. The Report of the Committee was presented on November 10, 2023, to the Chairman, Rajya Sabha and forwarded to the Speaker, Lok Sabha, the government said. According to a bulletin issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the government will introduce, The Boilers Bill, 2023, The Provisional Collection of Taxes Bill, 2023, The Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023, The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Amendment) Bill, 2023, The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2023, The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2023, The Central University (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in the Parliament. Among others, the Bill to regulate the appointment, conditions of service, and term of office of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners is among the legislative business of the government for the upcoming session, which will conclude on December 22. The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 was introduced in Rajya Sabha during the Monsoon session on August 10. This Bill also deals with the procedure for the transaction of business by the Election Commission. Besides, it proposes that the Election Commissioners will be appointed by the President on the recommendation of a panel comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister will chair the panel. The Bill, if it comes into effect, will negate the Supreme Court's March 2023 judgement that held that the appointment of Election Commissioners will be done by the President on the advice of a panel comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India. However, in its judgement, the apex court had held that the procedure underlined by it would hold till a law is enacted by Parliament. Meanwhile, on behalf of the government, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi has called an all-party meeting ahead of the session on December 2. (ANI)
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