The Winter Session of Parliament scheduled to kick off from Monday is expected to be busy. With 22 sittings from November 24 to December 23, the Session is expected to take up key pending Bills as well as Bills to replace ordinances including that for coal mines.
New Bills expected:
* Bill to replace Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Ordinance 2014
* Bill to replace the Textile Undertakings (Nationalisation) Laws (Amendment and Validation) Ordinance 2014.
* The report of the Insurance (Laws) Amendment Bill, 2008, currently being considered by a Select Committee of the Rajya Sabha, is also due in the Winter Session of Parliament after which the Bill can be moved for consideration and passing.
Bills cleared by the Union Cabinet:
* Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill, 2014
* School of Planning and Architecture Bill, 2014
These were approved by the Cabinet in the last three months.
PENDING BILLS
There are 67 pending bills
* 11 Bills related to health & family welfare including, Mental Healthcare Bill 2013, Drugs and Cosmetics (Amendment) Bill 2013, and HIV (Prevention and Control) Bill 2014.
* Nine bills of labour and employment including:
– The Factories (Amendment) Bill 2014
– Apprentices (Amendment) Bill 2014
* Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Bill 2012
* Building And Other Construction Workers Related Laws Bill, 2013
Apprentices Bill has been passed by Lok Sabha.
Bills being looked into by Standing committees
* Rights of Persons of Disabilities Bill, 2014
* Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2014
* The Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2014
* Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2014
* Tribunals, Appellate Tribunals and Other Authorities (Conditions of Service) Bill, 2014
Draft Bills:
Various ministries are working on finalising proposed legislation including Small Factories (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Services) Bill, 2014, Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2014, amendments to the Citizenship Act, and Road Transport and Safety Bill, 2014.
(Source: PRS Legislative Research)