Parliament Updates

Parliament Session Alert: Budget 2013

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The Budget Session of Parliament is to be held between February 21 and May 10, 2013. The session will have a recess from March 22 to April 22, 2013. There will be a total of 34 sittings. The President will address Parliament on February 21. The Railway Budget will be presented on February 26. The Economic Survey will be released on February 27. The Union Budget will be presented on February 28, 2013.

The agenda for legislation includes 35 Bills for consideration and passing. Four Bills including the Finance Bill, 2013 are listed for introduction, consideration and passing. The government plans to introduce 16 new Bills. We list these below:-

Bills listed for Consideration and Passing

Short Title	Key Objectives	Introduced on	Status
Agriculture/ Rural Development
The National Food Security Bill, 2011	Provides food and nutritional security by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices	22 Dec 2011 Lok Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 17 Jan 2013
The Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011	Replaces the Land Acquisition Act 1894, and provides for rehabilitation and resettlement of people displaced due to acquisition	7 Sep 2011 Lok Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 17 May 2012
The Forward Contracts (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2010	Permits commodity derivatives markets, establishes an independent regulator for that market, and requires commodity exchanges to be corporatised and demutualised	6 Dec 2010 Lok Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 22 Dec 2011
The Pesticide Management Bill, 2008	Seeks to regulate the manufacture, inspection, testing and distribution of pesticides	21 Oct 2008 Rajya Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 18 Feb 2009
HRD/ Health/ Labour
The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Bill, 2012	Provides measures to stop manual scavenging and rehabilitate those engaged in such employment	3 Sep 2012 Lok Sabha	Standing Committee to report within 3 months w.e.f. 9 Sep 2012
The Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill, 2012	Provides protection against sexual harassment of women at the workplace and creates a mechanism for redressal of complaints	7 Dec 2010 Lok Sabha	Passed by LS on 3 Sep 2012, Pending in RS
The Architect (Amendment) Bill, 2010	Amends provisions related to the establishment of Council of Architecture	31 Aug 2010 Rajya Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 24 Jan 2011
The National Accreditation Regulatory Authority for Higher Educational Institutions Bill, 2010	Requires all universities and institutes to get quality accreditation and establishes regulator for accreditation agencies	3 May 2010 Lok Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 12 Aug 2011
The Prohibition of Unfair Practices in Technical Educational Institutions, Medical Educational Institutions and University Bill, 2010	Seeks to Prohibit specified unfair practices in technical and medical institutions and universities to protect the interest of students	3 May 2010 Lok Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 30 May 2011
The Educational Tribunals Bill, 2010	Establishes central and state level Tribunals for effective and expeditious adjudication of disputes arising in higher education	3 May 2010 Lok Sabha	Passed by LS on 26 Aug 2010, Pending in RS
Industry/ Commerce/ Finance
The Companies Bill, 2012	Replaces the Companies Act, 1956 to modernise the regulation of corporate structure and governance	14 Dec 2011 Lok Sabha	Passed by LS on 18 Dec 2012, Pending in RS
The Warehousing Corporations (Amendment) Bill, 2011	Amends the Act to reflect the award of status of Miniratna to Central Warehousing Corporation	8 Dec 2011 Lok Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 30 Aug 2012
The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2011	Amends various provisions related to narcotic drugs	8 Sep 2011 Lok Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 21 Mar 2012
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, 2011	Provides statutory powers to the pension fund regulator	24 Mar 2011 Lok Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 30 Aug 2011
The Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2008	Raises the limit of foreign holding to 49% and allows entry of foreign re-insurers	22 Dec 2008 Rajya Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 13 Dec 2011
Security / Law / Strategic Affairs
The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2012	Makes sexual assault a gender neutral offence and includes two other offences under IPC	4 Dec 2012 Lok Sabha	Standing Committee to report within 3 months w.e.f. 28 Dec 2012
The Tamil Nadu Legislative Council (Repeal) Bill, 2012	Repeals the Tamil Nadu Legislative Council Act, 2010	4 May 2012 Rajya Sabha	Not referred to Standing Committee
The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011	Establishes the office of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas to investigate and prosecute cases of corruption	22 Dec 2011 Lok Sabha	Passed by LS on 27 Dec 2011, Pending in RS
The Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011	Seeks to confer on every citizen the right to time bound delivery of specified goods and services and provides a mechanism for grievance redressal	20 Dec 2011 Lok Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 28 Aug 2012
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2011	Defines the term “Overseas Indian Card Holder” and creates certain provisions	8 Dec 2011 Rajya Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 28 Mar 2012
The Border Security Force (Amendment) Bill, 2011	Enables the Central Government to deploy BSF in non-border areas within India	18 Aug 2011 Rajya Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 3 Nov 2011
The Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of Public International Organisations Bill, 2011	Prevents corruption relating to bribery of foreign public officials and officials of public international organisations	25 Mar 2011 Lok Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 29 Mar 2012
The Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill, 2012	Lays down judicial standards, establishes a mechanism for dealing with complaints of misbehaviour or incapacity of a High Court or Supreme Court Judge and makes provisions for declaration of assets and liabilities	1 Dec 2010 Lok Sabha	Passed by LS on 29 Mar 2012, Pending in RS
The Whistle Blowers Protection Bill, 2011	Establishes a mechanism to receive complaints relating to disclosure on any allegation of corruption and to protect the whistle-blower	26 Aug 2010 Lok Sabha	Passed by LS on 27 Dec 2011, Pending in RS
The Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2010	Amends provisions related to divorce	4 Aug 2010 Rajya Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 1 Mar 2011
The Wakf (Amendment) Bill, 2010	Ensures that Wakf property is not easily alienated and strengthens Central Wakf Council	27 Apr 2010 Lok Sabha	Passed by LS on 7 May 2010, Pending in RS
The Prevention of Torture Bill, 2010	Provides punishment for torture inflicted by public servants or with their consent	22 Apr 2010 Lok Sabha	Passed by LS on 6 May 2010, Pending in RS
The Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005	Empowers central and state governments to prevent and control communal violence, provides for rehabilitation of victims, speedy investigation and trial of offences, and enhanced punishment	5 Dec 2005 Rajya Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 13 Dec 2006
Transport / Tourism / Urban development
The National Highways Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2012	Expand membership of the NHAI	19 Dec 2011 Lok Sabha	Passed by LS on 3 Sep 2012, Pending in RS
The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2012	Provides for penalty structure for offences and authorises recognised automobile associations to issue driving certificates	15 May 2007 Rajya Sabha	Passed by RS on 8 May 2012, Pending in LS
Constitutional Amendments
The Constitution (117th Amendment) Bill, 2012 (Reservation in promotion to SCs and STs with retrospective effect)	Substitutes Article 16(4A) of the Constitution to provide reservation in promotion to SCs and STs with retrospective effect	5 Sep 2012 Rajya Sabha	Passed by RS on Dec 2012, Pending in LS
The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2012 (Modifies SC lists of. Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tripura and Sikkim)	Modifies SC lists of Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tripura and Sikkim	21 May 2012 Lok Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 24 Aug 2012
The Constitution (114th Amendment) Bill, 2010 (Increases retirement age of High Court Judges from 62 to 65 years)	Increases the retirement age of the High Court Judges by three years from 62 to 65	25 Aug 2010 Lok Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 9 Dec 2010
The Constitution (110th Amendment) Bill, 2009 (Reserves for women 50% of seats in panchayats)	Increases the reservation for women from one-third to 50% of the total number of seats and offices of Chairpersons in Panchayats at each level	26 Nov 2009 Lok Sabha	Standing Committee Report on 28 Jul 2010
The Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill, 2008 (Women’s Reservation Bill)	Provides for reservation for women in Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies	6 May 2008 Rajya Sabha	Passed by RS on 9 Mar 2010, Pending in LS

Bills listed for Introduction, Consideration and Passing

The Finance Bill, 2013	Gives effect to the tax proposals for the year 2013-14
The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2013 – To replace an Ordinance	Makes sexual assault a gender neutral offence and includes new offences
The Re-adjustment of Representation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Bill, 2013 – To replace an Ordinance	Provides for readjustment of seats in Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies and readjustment of territorial constituencies
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Amendment) Bill, 2013 – To replace an Ordinance	Makes provisions to appoint sitting or retired Judge of a High Court with minimum seven years service for the post of Presiding Officer of the Securities Appellate Tribunal

Bills listed for Introduction

The Agricultural Bio-Security Bill, 2013	Provides for prevention, control, eradication and management of Plant Pests and diseases of plants and animals for ensuring agricultural Bio Securities
The Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill, 2013	Establishes Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India to regulate research, import, transport, use of organisms and product produced from modern biotechnology
The Building and Construction Workers Related Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2013	Amends the Building and other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 and the Building and other Construction Workers Welfare Cess Act, 1996
The Central Reserve Police Force Bill, 2013	Consolidates and amends the law relating to the constitution and regulation of CRPF as an Armed Force of the Union for the purposes of restoration and maintenance of law and order
The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2013 – relating to India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement	Implements the India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement, 1974 and Protocol to the Land Boundary Agreement, 1974
The Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Amendment Bill, 2013	Removes the practical difficulties being experienced by the States/UTs in the implementation of Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959
The Indian Institute of Information Technology Bill, 2013	Provides independent Statutory status to the 4 existing IIITs funded by the Central Government and declares them as Institutions of National Importance
The Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill, 2013	Prohibits the use of harmful organotins in anti-fouling paints used on ships and establishes a mechanism to prevent the future use of other harmful substances in anti-fouling system
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Amendment) Bill, 2013	Transfers 99% shares to the Govt. of India from RBI in NABARD, combines the post of Chairman and Managing Director and increases the authorized capital of NABARD to Rs. 20,000/- crore
The National Institute of Design Bill, 2013	Incorporates NID, Ahmedabad to promote quality and excellence in education, research and training in all disciplines relating to design
The National Institute of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2013 – upgradation of BESU to the IIEST	Converts Bengal Engineering and Science University (BESU) into an Indian Institute of Engineering, Science & Technology (IIEST)
The National Waterway (Lakhipur Bhanga Strech of River Barak) Bill, 2013	Regulates and develops Lakhipur-Bhanga Stretch of Barak River for shipping and navigation
The North Eastern Council (Amendment) Bill, 2013	Regulates and develops Lakhipur-Bhanga Stretch of Barak River for shipping and navigation
The Piracy Bill, 2013	Introduces a comprehensive Bill
The Regional Rural Banks (Amendment) Bill, 2013	Widens area of operation to more than one State and strengthens Board of RRBs
The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2013	Includes the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Regulations in the Act to control illegal trade in wildlife and makes provisions for constitution of Bodies, Committees, Tribunals, etc.

Sources: PIB, PRS.

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