Government to push 3 Bills in 4 working days
The Central government seeks to push three Bills in Parliament with four working days left in the current session. It includes the Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, 2023; the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021; and the Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2022. Amid continued disruptions, the government cleared the budget proposal without debate and managed to introduce just one Bill related to defense services.
Why does this story matter?
Parliamentary proceedings have been mostly stalled during the second part of the ongoing Budget Session owing to the tussle between the government and the Opposition. The Opposition has been calling for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the allegations of corporate fraud against the Adani Group. Meanwhile, the government has been demanding an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for "insulting India" abroad.
Two hours allotted for discussion on each Bill
The Bills will have to be cleared in both Houses, starting from Lok Sabha. In a meeting on Tuesday, two hours were allotted for discussion over each Bill in Rajya Sabha. The government managers, however, are hopeful that the proposed legislations will be passed.
Inter-Services Organisations Bill will empower commanders of all three services
The Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, 2023 is aimed at empowering the commanders of the defense services amid the push for theaterization. This will grant the commanders the authority to exercise administrative or disciplinary control over subordinate personnel of another service as well. Under theaterization, each theater command will have units from all three services—the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.
AYUSH practitioners exempt from sharing benefits under Biological Diversity Bill
The government also listed the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021, for passage in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, but it was stalled due to frequent disruptions. The Bill aims to amend the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 to simplify the compliance criteria for domestic companies and decriminalize all offenses under the Act. It also seeks to exempt AYUSH practitioners from sharing benefits with local communities.
Competition Bill to regulate combinations based on transaction value
The Competition (Amendment) Bill, 2022, on the other hand, seeks to amend the Competition Act, 2002 to regulate mergers and acquisitions based on the value of transactions. If the transaction value exceeds Rs. 2,000 crore, it will require the approval of the Competition Commission of India (CCI). The Bill also expands the scope of entities that can be adjudged as anti-competitive agreements.
