The session originally extended only to accommodate a debate on Lokpal Bill, will now witness introduction and discussions on as many as seven bills in Lok Sabha.
Hoping that the proposed debate on the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill may keep the MPs disciplined and thereby Parliament in order, the government has packed the three-day extended session with heavy legislative agenda to make up for the time loss due to disruptions. The session originally extended only to accommodate a debate on Lokpal Bill, will now witness introduction and discussions on as many as seven bills in Lok Sabha besides eight in Rajya Sabha.
The current Lok Sabha is stated to have wasted a record number of hours in just two-and-a-half years, surpassing total disturbances during the full five-year term of the previous Houses, according to records available with PRS Legislative Research, a Delhi-based NGO.
Sources in the parliamentary affairs ministry said the Lok Sabha will take up for simultaneous discussion the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, a related Constitution amendment bill to give the Lokpal constitutional status and the Whistleblowers’ Protection bill. They will be, however, taken up separately in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
The government will also push for discussion and voting on Tuesday itself on the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill to establish mechanism for probing misbehaviour or incapacity of a Supreme Court or High Court for removal, along with a related Constitution amendment bill to amend Article 217 and 224.
The extended session will, however, begin on Tuesday with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee introducing the Prevention of Money laundering (Amendment) Bill while telecom minister Kapil Sibal will pilot the Electronic Delivery of Services Bill to ensure transparency, efficiency, accountability, accessibility and reliability in delivery of such services. Also listed for introduction is a Constitution amendment bill regarding Karnataka’s scheduled tribes.
The government also seeks to introduce a bill to amend Constitutional (ST) order, 1950 to modify list of Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Karnataka. It is also pushing to seek passage of Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research Bill 2011, returned by Rajya Sabha with some amendments.
Pending arrival of the Lokpal and related bills, the government has packed the Rajya Sabha with a heavy agenda, lining up eight pending bills for discussion and voting on Tuesday. These include the controversial Copyright (Amendment) Bill of Union human resources development minister Kapil Sibal. He is also moving four other Bills for debate and passage and these include the educational tribunals bill for adjudication of disputes in higher educational institutions involving teachers, employees, students, universities and statutory regulatory authorities and imposition of heavy penalties for indulging in unfair means.
Other bills listed against his name for debate and passage are amendment to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Act, National Institute of Technology (Amendment) bill and Architects (Amendment) Bill, Central Institutions (Reservation in admission) Amendment Bill which is pending since last year Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee will also be moving in the Rajya Sabha two bills that have been already passed by the Lok Sabha, namely Export-Import Bank of India (Amendment) Bill and Factoring Regulation Bill.
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