December 21, 2023, marked the end of the Winter Session 2023 of Parliament when both the houses were adjourned sine die, a day ahead of its schedule. The session began on December 04, 2023 and was scheduled to end on December 22, 2023. While the 14th session of 17th Lok Sabha (LS) witnessed introduction of 12 bills and passage of 18 bills, the 262nd session of Rajya Sabha (RS) saw passage of 17 bills.
The recently concluded Parliament Session was characterized by high drama, controversy, and a record number of Member of Parliament (MPs) suspension, all amidst significant legislative activity. The session witnessed passage of several key bills, including:
- Telecommunications Bill: Aimed at reforming telecom sector with user protection and government oversight.
- Three Criminal Justice System Bills: Provides for comprehensive overhaul of existing legislations, impacting sentencing, evidence admissibility, and witness protection.
- Chief Election Commissioner Bill: Provides for streamlining the appointment and service conditions of election commissioners.
- Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill: Provides for print media regulation.
The passed bills hold potential for significant impact in their respective domains, requiring scrutiny and public engagement during implementation. Following is the summary of the passed legislations:
| S.No | Name of the Bill | Bill Reference No. | Preamble | Object & Purpose | Lok Sabha | Rajya Sabha | Presidential Assent | Act No. and Year | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction Date | Passing Date | Introduction Date | Passing Date | |||||||
| 1 | Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023 | No. 141 of 2023 | A Bill further to amend the Central Universities Act, 2009. | To provide for the establishment of a Central University by the name of "Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University" in the State of Telangana. | Dec 04, 2023 | Dec 07, 2023 | NA | Dec 13, 2023 | Dec 17, 2023 | No. 36 of 2023 |
| 2 | Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023 | No. 54 of 2023 | A Bill further to amend the Advocates Act, 1961. | To repeal the Legal Practitioners Act, 1879 and to amend the Advocates Act, 1961 by incorporating the provisions of section 36 of the Legal Practitioners Act, 1879 in the Advocates Act, 1961 so as to reduce the number of superfluous enactments in the statute book. | NA | Dec 04, 2023 | Aug 01, 2023 | Aug 03, 2023 | Dec 08, 2023 | No. 33 of 2023 |
| 3 | Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 | No. 90 of 2023 | A Bill further to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004. | To change the nomenclature of "weak and under privileged classes (social castes)" occurring in Section 2(o)(iii) to "other backward classes" and to make consequential amendment in clause (q), of section 2 of the J&K Reservation Act, 2004. The proposed amendment will also enable implementation of the Constitution (One Hundred and Fifth Amendment) Act, 2021, in letter and spirit. | July 26, 2023 | Dec 06, 2023 | NA | Dec 11, 2023 | Dec 15, 2023 | No. 34 of 2023 |
| 4 | Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 | No. 100 of 2023 | A Bill further to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. | To provide representation to "Kashmiri Migrants", "Displaced Persons from Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir" and Scheduled Tribes in the Legislative Assembly of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir so as to preserve their political rights as well as for their overall social and economic development. | July 26, 2023 | Dec 06, 2023 | NA | Dec 11, 2023 | Dec 15, 2023 | No. 35 of 2023 |
| 5 | Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 | No. 57 of 2023 | A Bill to regulate the appointment, conditions of service and term of office of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, the procedure for transaction of business by the Election Commission and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. | To provide for appointment, qualifications, Search Committee, Selection Committee, term of office, salary, resignation and removal, leave, pension, etc., of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners; and transaction of business and disposal of business of the Election Commission. | NA | Dec 21, 2023 | Aug 10, 2023 | Dec 12, 2023 | Dec 28, 2023 | No. 49 of 2023 |
| 6 | Repealing and Amending Bill, 2023 | No. 290-C of 2022 | A Bill to repeal certain enactments and to amend an enactment. | To provide for repealing of 65 laws that are obsolete or that have been made redundant by other laws. It also corrects a minor drafting error in the Factoring Regulation Act, 2011. | Dec 19, 2022 | July 27, 2023 | NA | Dec 13, 2023 | Dec 17, 2023 | No. 37 of 2023 |
| 7 | Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2023 | No. 171 of 2023 | A Bill further to amend the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963. | To provide for as nearly as may be, one-third of total seats in the Legislative Assembly of the Union territory of Puducherry to be reserved for women. | Dec 12, 2023 | Dec 12, 2023 | NA | Dec 18, 2023 | Dec 20, 2023 | No. 39 of 2023 |
| 8 | Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023 | No. 172 of 2023 | A Bill further to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. | To provide for as nearly as may be, one-third of total seats in the Legislative Assembly of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir to be reserved for women. | Dec 12, 2023 | Dec 12, 2023 | NA | Dec 18, 2023 | Dec 20, 2023 | No. 38 of 2023 |
| 9 | National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2023 | No. 176-C of 2023 | A Bill further to amend the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second Act, 2011. | To provide for protection to unauthorised development and encroachment by specified persons in the Union Territory of Delhi from punitive action for a further period of three years from 1st January, 2024 to 31st December, 2026. | Dec 13, 2023 | Dec 19, 2023 | NA | Dec 19, 2023 | Dec 24, 2023 | No. 42 of 2023 |
| 10 | Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023 | No. 159-C of 2023 | A Bill further to amend the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. | To provide for aligning the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 with the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2021, to initiate the administrative process for operationalisation of the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunals. | Dec 13, 2023 | Dec 19, 2023 | NA | Dec 20, 2023 | Dec 28, 2023 | No. 48 of 2023 |
| 11 | Provisional Collection of Taxes Bill, 2023 | No. 158 of 2023 | A Bill to provide for the immediate effect for a limited period of provisions in Bills relating to the imposition or increase of duties of customs or excise. | To provide for giving immediate effect for a limited period to provisions in Bills relating to the imposition or increase of duties of customs or excise, with or without change in tariff classification. To also provide for the repeal of the Provisional Collection of Taxes Act, 1931. | Dec 13, 2023 | Dec 19, 2023 | NA | Dec 20, 2023 | Dec 28, 2023 | No. 50 of 2023 |
| 12 | Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023 | No. 173 of 2023 | A Bill to consolidate and amend the provisions relating to offences and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. | To provide for enacting a new law, by repealing the Indian Penal Code, 1860, to streamline provisions relating to offences and penalties. | Dec 12, 2023 | Dec 20, 2023 | NA | Dec 21, 2023 | Dec 25, 2023 | No. 45 of 2023 |
| 13 | Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023 | No. 174 of 2023 | A Bill to consolidate and amend the law relating to Criminal Procedure. | To provide for enacting a new law, by repealing the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, to provide for the use of technology and forensic sciences in the investigation of crime and furnishing and lodging of information, service of summons, etc., through electronic communication. To provide further for specific timelines for time bound investigation, trial and pronouncement of judgements. | Dec 12, 2023 | Dec 20, 2023 | NA | Dec 21, 2023 | Dec 25, 2023 | No. 46 of 2023 |
| 14 | Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023 | No. 175 of 2023 | A Bill to consolidate and to provide for general rules and principles of evidence for fair trial. | To provide for enacting a new law, by repealing the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, to introduce more precise and uniform rules of practice of courts in dealing with facts and circumstances of the case by means of evidence. | Dec 12, 2023 | Dec 20, 2023 | NA | Dec 21, 2023 | Dec 25, 2023 | No. 47 of 2023 |
| 15 | Appropriation (No. 3) Bill, 2023 | No. 156 of 2023 | A Bill to authorise payment and appropriation of certain further sums from and out of the Consolidated Fund of India for the services of the financial year 2023-24. | To provide for the appropriation out of the Consolidated Fund of India of the moneys required to meet the supplementary expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund of India and the grants made by the Lok Sabha for expenditure of the Central Government for the financial year 2023-24. | Dec 12, 2023 | Dec 12, 2023 | NA | Dec 19, 2023 | Dec 24, 2023 | No. 40 of 2023 |
| 16 | Appropriation (No. 4) Bill, 2023 | No. 157 of 2023 | A Bill to provide for the authorisation of appropriation of moneys out of the Consolidated Fund of India to meet the amounts spent on certain services during the financial year ended on the 31st day of March, 2021, in excess of the amounts granted for those services and for that year. | To provide for the appropriation out of the Consolidated Fund of India of the moneys required to meet the expenditure incurred in excess of the grants made by the Lok Sabha for expenditure of the Central Government, for the financial year ended 31st day of March, 2021. | Dec 12, 2023 | Dec 12, 2023 | NA | Dec 19, 2023 | Dec 24, 2023 | No. 41 of 2023 |
| 17 | Telecommunications Bill, 2023 | No. 194 of 2023 | A Bill to amend and consolidate the law relating to development, expansion and operation of telecommunication services and telecommunication networks; assignment of spectrum; and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. | To provide consolidating the law relating to development, expansion and operation of telecommunication services and telecommunication networks; assignment of spectrum. To provide further for repealing of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933 and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1950; and amendment of certain provisions of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997. | Dec 18, 2023 | Dec 20, 2023 | NA | Dec 21, 2023 | Dec 24, 2023 | No. 44 of 2023 |
| 18 | Post Office Bill, 2023 | No. 58 of 2023 | A Bill to consolidate and amend the law relating to Post Office in India and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. | To provide for repealing of Indian Post Office Act, 1898, to provide a simple legislative framework to facilitate evolution of the post office into a network for delivery of citizen centric services. | NA | Dec 18, 2023 | Aug 10, 2023 | Dec 04, 2023 | Dec 24, 2023 | No. 43 of 2023 |
| 19 | Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023 | No. 53 of 2023 | A Bill to provide for press, registration of periodicals and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. | To provide for repealing of Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, to provide for a simple online process of title verification and registration of periodicals by the Press Registrar General; ease of doing business; suspension or cancellation of the certificate of registration of periodicals by the Press Registrar General under specified circumstances; and substantive decriminalisation of the provisions relating to violation of various provisions and imposition of financial penalties by the Press Registrar General. | NA | Dec 21, 2023 | Aug 01, 2023 | Aug 03, 2023 | Dec 28, 2023 | No. 51 of 2023 |
Disclaimer
The information provided in this article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. The content of this article is not intended to create and receipt of it does not constitute any relationship. Readers should not act upon this information without seeking professional legal counsel.
