New Delhi: The government has set in motion the process to re-introduce some of the 46 bills that got lapsed with the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha. Apart from these, 33 bills are pending in the Rajya Sabha. Some of the bills that got lapsed and could be introduced in the Budget session of Parliament—the first one after the re-election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi—include the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill to ban instant triple talaq and Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill.
Some of the other prominent bills that got lapsed include the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) (Amendment) Bill, the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill and the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill.
Sources said that the ministries concerned have been asked to line up the bills that got lapsed. The ministries have been asked to fast track the process, in terms of taking the proposals to the Cabinet or completing the consultations. Many of the bills can be introduced without much change, the sources added.
The government had promulgated the ordinance on triple talaq twice. Under the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance, 2019, divorcing through instant triple talaq will be illegal, void and will attract a jail term of three years for the husband. A bill to convert the earlier ordinance, issued in September 2018, was cleared by the Lok Sabha in December and was pending in the Rajya Sabha. As the bill could not get Parliamentary approval, a fresh ordinance was issued.
Regarding the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, a source said that the Cabinet note was ready and once it was approved, the government would try to introduce it in the upcoming Parliament session. The bill, passed by the Lok Sabha in April 2017, is expected to unleash radical reforms in the transport sector by ensuring 100% e-governance, checking bogus driving licences and vehicle thefts and slapping heavy penalty on traffic violators. The bill was passed by a voice vote after several Opposition amendments were rejected.
The Parliament’s budget session has been convened from 17 June. The Rajya Sabha will meet from 20 June to 26 July for the session. President Ram Nath Kovind will address the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament in the Central Hall at 11 am on 20 June.
Bills which are introduced in the Rajya Sabha and pending there do not lapse with the dissolution of the Lok Sabha. However, those Bills passed by the Lok Sabha and pending in the Rajya Sabha, however, lapse.
Legislations which are pending in the Rajya Sabha include the India Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 1987; the Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2018; National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2019; National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2019; Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2019; Registration of Marriage of Non-Resident Indian Bill, 2019; the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Bill, 2008, among others.