New Delhi: With repeated disruptions in second week of the winter session putting its legislative agenda on the back burner, the government has proposed heavy business in both Houses of Parliament next week, listing key legislation like GST and Real Estate bills for consideration and passage. It plans to pass six bills in the Lok Sabha and seven in the Rajya Sabha next week. Of these, two bills are already listed in the Lower House and three in the Upper House.
The government's main focus will be on the passage of the key GST Bill, officially known as The Constitution (122nd Amendment) Bill, 2014, as passed by the Lok Sabha and as reported by a Select Committee of Rajya Sabha. The Centre plans to roll out the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from April next year. Other important bills include the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013, which was discussed in Rajya Sabha on Friday. The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of Rajya Sabha has allotted a time of four hours for the GST Bill and two hours for the Real Estate Bill.
The Select Committees of the House have already submitted their reports on these two bills which are pending for further consideration and passing by the Rajya Sabha. The legislative agenda of Lok Sabha includes consideration and passage of the High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salary and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill 2015, the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2015, The Indian Trusts (Amendment) Bill 2015, the Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill 2015, and the Industries (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill 2015.
The government also plans to take up the discussion and voting on Supplementary Demands for Grants (General) for 2015-16 and Demands for Excess Grants (General) for 2012-13 in the Lok Sabha in the third week of the winter session, sources in the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry said.
In the Rajya Sabha, it plans to take up the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013, on which discussion has already begun, the Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill 2015 and the Whistle Blower Protection (Amendment) Bill 2015, as passed by Lok Sabha. While the first bill was taken up in Rajya Sabha on Friday on which Congress, Samajwadi Party and some others advocated caution, the Whistle Blower Bill was listed on Friday but could not be taken up.
Besides, the Upper House is also slated to take up the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2015, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2015, The Appropriation Acts (Repeal) Bill,2015, The Repealing and Amending (Third) Bill, 2015, as passed by Lok Sabha, The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2013, and the Child Labour (Protection and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2012.
The government sources maintain that after the lapse of the land ordinance, it is keen to ensure that three other ordinance-related bills are passed by Parliament. These are the Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill, 2015 to deal with cheque bounce cases, The Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts and Commercial Bill, 2015 that enables the creation of commercial divisions in high courts, and another to convert The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015 into an Act, which was brought to achieve the purpose of speedy settlement of disputes via arbitration.
Two of these bills are listed for next week. The non-legislative business which could be taken up in Lok Sabha next week include a discussion on drought situation in the country, price rise and India's relations with neighbouring countries. In Rajya Sabha, the situation in Nepal and India-Nepal relations and price rise could be discussed. The discussion on Nepal situation has been converted from Calling Attention of the government to a short duration discussion as per the decision of the House on Friday.
Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.
