Parliament's monsoon session: What else will lawmakers debate apart from GST Bill?

The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs on Tuesday recommended the convening of the monsoon session of Parliament from 18 July till 12 August, 2016 subject to the demands of government business.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs M Venakaiah Naidu said that the forthcoming monsoon session will have a total of 20 sittings over a duration of 26 days.

Of importance is the passing of the bill on Goods and Services Tax (GST). “We held a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs. The prime minister ( Narendra Modi ) presided over the meeting. We were all in favour of bringing the GST Bill in the monsoon session of Parliament,” Naidu said and added, “given the importance of the Bill, it would be appropriate if GST Bill could be passed unanimously”.

Naidu said that there are 11 bills pending in Lok Sabha and 45 bills pending in Rajya Sabha. He said that the ministers have been asked to take necessary action in respect to the pending and new bills to be introduced by the third of next month to ensure that about 20 to 25 bills could be taken up for introduction, consideration and passing.

The minister, who addressed the media on Wednesday, expressed hope that the GST Bill would be passed during the ensuing monsoon session of the Parliament. “There is a broad consensus on the GST Bill, with almost all the state governments and political parties favouring the Bills. If some parties still have some issues, the government is keen to discuss the same.”

There are three bills that will be taken up in the monsoon session to replace three Ordinances: the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016; the Dentists (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016 (Both relate to exemption this year from National Eligibility cum Entrance Test); and the Enemy Properties (Amendment and Validation) Third Ordinance,2016.

Some of the bills that are pending in the Lok Sabha are: The Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2014; The Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2014; The Lok Pal and Lokayuktas and Other Related Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2014; The Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill, 2015; The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2015; The Consumer Protection Bill, 2015; The Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2015.

The Department Related Standing Committees have presented their reports on these seven bills. They are — The Indian Trust (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (agreeing to of amendments made by Rajya Sabha), The Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2016 (referred to Standing Committee), The Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws and Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment) Bill, 2016 (referred to Joint Committee); and The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, 2015.

Some of the 45 bills pending in the Rajya Sabha are: The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 1987 (as reported by Joint Committee); The Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015; The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2016 The Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2016 (these bills have been passed by the Lok Sabha).

Other bills such as The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill,2012; The Right of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2014; and The Pesticides Management Bill, 2008 have reports presented by standing committees.

Two bills passed by Lok Sabha and reports presented by Select Committee of Rajya Sabha are The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty Second Amendment) Bill, 2014 – GST Bill and The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016.

The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013, which is up for hearing has been referred to the Select Committee.