Parliament session alert winter session 2017

Parliament Session Alert Winter Session: December 15, 2017 – January 05, 2018 Highlights  The Winter Session of Parliament is to be held between December 15, 2017 and January 05,

2018. There will be a total of 14 sittings.  The agenda for legislation includes 25 Bills for consideration and passing. 14 Bills are listed for introduction, consideration and passing. One Bill is listed for withdrawal. We list these below:

Bills listed for consideration and passage Key Objectives

Introduced on

Status

The Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill, 2017

Establishes a Resolution Corporation to monitor financial firms, anticipate risk of failure, take corrective action, and resolve them in case of such failure.

10 Aug 2017 Lok Sabha

Referred to JPC to submit report by first week of the Winter Session

The Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2016

Amends various provisions of the 2013 Act in relation to subsidiaries, remuneration of management, and independent directors.

16 Mar 2016 Lok Sabha

Standing Committee Report on 7 Dec 2016. Passed by Lok Sabha on 27 July 2017

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Amendment) Bill, 2017

Empowers the government to increase authorised capital of NABARD from Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore and transfers RBI’s equity in NABARD to the government.

5 Apr 2017 Lok Sabha

Passed by Lok Sabha on 3 Aug 2017

The State Banks (Repeal and Amendment) Bill, 2017

Repeals the State Bank of India (Subsidiary Banks) Act, 1959, and State Bank of Hyderabad Act, 1956 after the acquisition of the five subsidiary banks by the State Bank of India.

21 Jul 2017 Lok Sabha

Passed by Lok Sabha on 10 Aug 2017

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Second Amendment) Bill, 2017

Empowers the government to detain a child in class 5, 8, or both, and provides an opportunity for re-examination to the child before being detained.

11 Aug 2017 Lok Sabha

Standing Committee granted time upto 21 Feb 2018

The Indian Institutes of Management Bill, 2017

Declares the Indian Institutes of Management as institutions of national importance and allows grant of degrees.

9 Feb 2017 Lok Sabha

Passed by Lok Sabha on 28 Jul 2017

The National Sports University Bill, 2017

Establishes a National Sports University in Manipur.

10 Aug 2017 Lok Sabha

Standing Committee granted time upto 21 Feb 2018

The Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy Bill, 2017

Establishes the Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy and declares the institute as an institution of national importance.

18 Jul 2017 Lok Sabha

Passed by Lok Sabha on 4 Aug 2017

Short Title Finance

Education

Kusum Malik kusum@prsindia.org

Jhalak Kakkar jhalak@prsindia.org

December 12, 2017

PRS Legislative Research  Institute for Policy Research Studies 3rd Floor Gandharva Mahavidyalaya  212 Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg  New Delhi – 110002 Tel: (011) 2323 4801-02, 4343 4035-36 www.prsindia.org

Session Alert – Winter Session 2017

Short Title

PRS Legislative Research

Key Objectives

Introduced on

Status

Security / Law / Strategic Affairs / Social Justice

The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013

Makes giving a bribe an offence and modifies the definition of taking a bribe. Requires prior sanction to investigate officials.

19 Aug 2013 Rajya Sabha

Standing Committee Report on 6 Feb 2014, Rajya Sabha Select Committee Report on 12 Aug 2016

The Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015

Specifies grounds under which disclosures related to corruption may not be made.

11 May 2015 Lok Sabha

Passed by Lok Sabha on 13 May 2015

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016

Defines a transgender person, prohibits discrimination against them and prescribes penalties for certain offences.

2 Aug 2016 Lok Sabha

Standing Committee Report on 21 Jul 2017

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016

Proposes that illegal migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan from specified religious groups will be eligible to apply for Indian citizenship.

19 Jul 2016 Lok Sabha

Joint Parliamentary Committee granted time upto the first day of last week of Winter Session, 2017

The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill, 2017

Constitutes a Commission for socially and educationally backward classes and empowers it to hear grievances.

5 April 2017 Lok Sabha

Passed by Lok Sabha on 10 Apr 2017, Rajya Sabha Select Committee Report on 18 Jul 2017, Rajya Sabha amended the Bill on 31 Jul 2017 and it was returned to the Lok Sabha on 2 Aug 2017.

The National Commission for Backward Classes (Repeal) Bill, 2017

Repeals the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993.

5 Apr 2017 Lok Sabha

Passed by Lok Sabha on 10 Apr 2017

The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2017

Repeals and amends certain enactments.

9 Feb 2017 Lok Sabha

Not referred to Standing Committee

The Repealing and Amending (Second) Bill, 2017

Repeals certain enactments and amends certain other enactments.

11 Aug 2017 Lok Sabha

Not referred to Standing Committee

The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2016

Seeks to address issues related to road safety, motor vehicle insurance, and increases penalties under the Act.

9 Aug 2016 Lok Sabha

Standing Committee Report on 8 Feb 2017, Passed on 10 Apr 2017, Referred to Select Committee to submit the report by first day of the next Session without extension.

The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2016

Consolidates the law relating to merchant shipping to ensure compliance with international treaties.

Provides for regulation of major ports and vests the management of such ports in the Boards of Major Port Authorities.

Allocates a share of cess collected under central road fund towards the development of inland waterways.

16 Dec 2016 Lok Sabha

Standing Committee Report on 18 Jul 2017

16 Dec 2016 Lok Sabha

Standing Committee Report on 18 Jul 2017

24 Jul 2017 Lok Sabha

Not referred to Standing Committee

Prohibits commercial surrogacy, allows altruistic surrogacy and specifies criteria for the intending couple and surrogate mother.

21 Nov 2016 Lok Sabha

Standing Committee Report on 10 Aug 2017

Enhances the limit of overtime work hours and empowers central government to make exempting rules related to overtime hours.

9 Aug 2016 Lok Sabha

Passed by Lok Sabha on 10 Aug 2016

Shipping / Transport

The Major Port Authorities Bill, 2016 The Central Road Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2017 Health

The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016 Labour

The Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2016

December 12, 2017

-2-

Session Alert – Winter Session 2017

Short Title

PRS Legislative Research

Key Objectives

Introduced on

Status

The Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property (Amendment) Bill, 2017

Allows the central government to re-issue the notice of acquisition to the property owner to give them an opportunity to be heard. The owner will be entitled to an interest on the compensation payable to them.

18 Jul 2017 Lok Sabha

Not referred to Standing Committee

The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment) Bill, 2017

Permits the central government to carry out construction in prohibited areas, around protected monuments and archaeological sites, for public purposes.

18 Jul 2017 Lok Sabha

Not referred to Standing Committee

The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2017

Specifies the procedure for eviction of unauthorised occupants from residential accommodation in public premises.

31 Jul 2017 Lok Sabha

Not referred to Standing Committee

Urban Development

Sources: Bulletins of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha; PRS.

Bills listed for introduction, consideration and passage Short Title

Key Objectives

Finance

The Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Amendment Bill, 2017

Amends the schedule to the Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Act, 2017 to increase the cap on cess rates on motor vehicles.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2017

Prohibits certain persons from submitting a resolution plan. These include promoters of defaulting companies undergoing resolution.

The Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes and Protection of Interest of Depositors Interest Bill, 2017

Provides for a central law to deal with unauthorised deposit taking schemes.

The Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill, 2017

Addresses issues related to delay in resolution of cheque bounce cases. Allows Appellate Courts to direct partial payment of fine or compensation to the payee at the time of filing an appeal.

Law and Justice

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017

Gives a woman the right to seek maintenance from her husband, in the case of instant triple talaq or talaq-ebiddat, before a magistrate’s court.

The Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2017

Introduces proxy voting for overseas electors (NRIs).

The Specific Relief (Amendment) Bill, 2017

Simplifies the procedure for ease of doing business.

The High Court and the Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Condition of Services) Amendment Bill, 2017

Revises salaries, gratuity, allowances and pension of Supreme Court and High Court Judges based on the recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission.

Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

The Consumer Protection Bill, 2017

Provides for better protection of consumers.

Education

The National Council for Teacher Education (Amendment) Bill 2017.

Grants retrospective recognition to central and state universities running teacher education programmes that are currently not recognised by the National Council for Teacher Education.

Environment

The Indian Forest (Amendment) Bill, 2017

Amends the Indian Forest Act, 1927 to remove ‘bamboo’ from the definition of ‘tree’.

Health

The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2017

December 12, 2017

Removes the representation of a certain category of dentists from the central, state and joint Dental Councils.

-3-

Session Alert – Winter Session 2017

Short Title

PRS Legislative Research

Key Objectives

Labour

The Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2017

Increases the amount of gratuity payable under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972.

Urban Development

The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions Third (Amendment) Bill, 2017

Extends the validity of the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second Act, 2011 beyond December 31, 2017.

Sources: Bulletins of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha; PRS.

Bills listed for withdrawal Short Title

Key Objectives

Introduced on

Status

The Consumer Protection Bill, 2015

Replaces the 1986 Act. Provides for redressal of consumer complaints, recall of goods, action against misleading advertisements, and product liability claims.

10 Aug 2015 Lok Sabha

Standing Committee Report on 26 Apr 2016, to be replaced by a new Bill

Sources: Bulletins of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha; PRS.

DISCLAIMER: This document is being furnished to you for your information. You may choose to reproduce or redistribute this report for non-commercial purposes in part or in full to any other person with due acknowledgement of PRS Legislative Research (“PRS”). The opinions expressed herein are entirely those of the author(s). PRS makes every effort to use reliable and comprehensive information, but PRS does not represent that the contents of the report are accurate or complete. PRS is an independent, notfor-profit group. This document has been prepared without regard to the objectives or opinions of those who may receive it.

December 12, 2017

-4-