Table of Contents
Introduction
The Central government has announced that 18 Bills will be presented for consideration and passage in the forthcoming winter session of Parliament, scheduled from December 4 to 22. The list includes crucial criminal law legislation that seeks to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC) of 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) of 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872. The proposed Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Bill 2023 are set to replace the IPC, CrPC, and the Evidence Act respectively.
Winter Session-Government To Present Bills
These Bills were first introduced in the Lower House of Parliament on August 11 and were subsequently referred to the Standing Committee on Home Affairs. The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, in consultation with the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, published an intimation of this in Bulletin-Part II, dated August 21, 2023.
Also, Read CENTRE BRINGS 3 NEW BILLS TO REVAMP CRIMINAL LAW
Union Minister Amit Shah, while introducing the bill in the Lok Sabha on August 7, stated that the three acts to be replaced were originally designed to fortify and safeguard British rule, with their primary objective being punishment rather than justice. “We are going to bring changes in both these fundamental aspects,” he declared. He further added that the essence of these three new laws would be to safeguard all rights conferred by the Constitution to Indian citizens. The aim would not be to punish but to deliver justice, and in this process, punishment would be meted out where necessary to instill a sense of crime prevention.
Bill to extend strength of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly likely
According to a bulletin issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the government also plans to bring a bill to increase the strength of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly from 107 to 114 in a bid to provide representation to Kashmiri migrants, displaced persons from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and Scheduled Tribes.
Besides the bills, the government has listed the first batch of supplementary demands for grants for 2023-24 for presentation, discussion and voting during the session.
The new bills listed for introduction in the Lok Sabha are
- The Boilers Bill
- The Provisional Collection of Taxes Bill
- The Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill
- The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Amendment) Bill
- The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill
- The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill.
- The Central University (Amendment) Bill
- The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Amendment) Bill
- The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, seeks to extend provisions of the Women’s Reservation Act to J-K and Puducherry, respectively
- The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, proposes to set up a three-member committee led by the prime minister for appointing future chief election commissioners and election commissioners. – This Bill proposes to set up a three-member committee led by the prime minister for appointing future chief election commissioners and election commissioners.
- The Post Office Bill, introduced in the Rajya Sabha, has also been listed for the Winter Session.
- The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill – This Bill seeks to simplify the registration process for periodicals and newspapers and do away with several penal provisions that led to the prosecution and imprisonment of publishers.
- The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, which was approved by the Rajya Sabha, too has been listed for consideration and passage by the Lok Sabha.
- The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill
- The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill
- The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Bill
- The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill
- The Repealing and Amending Bill, which was approved by Lok Sabha, has been listed by Rajya Sabha for consideration and passage.