With four sittings of winter session remaining the government has listed eight bills for the next week, including The Prohibition of Child Marriage (A) Bill, 2021 that seeks to raise the legal age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 years and bringing it at par with men.
While the Bill is likely to be introduced on Monday in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State (MoS) for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal, informed Lok Sabha on Friday that it is part of the House’s agenda for the next week.
Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), Abdul Wahab, had moved an adjournment motion against the impending bill on Friday, noting that any unilateral move to increase the legal age will have far reaching consequences and called it “an attempt to encroach on Muslim personal law”.
Other important bills on top of the government’s legislative agenda for the next week include the passage of the supplementary demands for grants/Appropriation (No.5) Bill and the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 that seeks to link the Aadhar card with the voter identity card.
While Rajya Sabha is likely to take up the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021, as passed by Lok Sabha, the Mediation Bill, 2021 – seeking to promote and facilitate institutional mediation for resolution of disputes – is likely to be sent to the Standing Committee
Three of the eight bills — the National Anti-Doping Bill, 2021, the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021, and the Chartered Accountants, the Cost and Works Accountants and the Company Secretaries (Amendment) Bill, 2021 — were introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday amid constant protests from Opposition members, who were demanding the resignation of Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’, for his alleged involvement in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
When the Lok Sabha met at 2 p.m., apart from introduction of the bills, it also approved changes made to the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill by Rajya Sabha through a voice vote and soon after the House was adjourned for the day.
Protests over the Lakhimpur Kheri killings had erupted almost as soon as Lok Sabha proceedings started at 11 a.m. but Speaker Om Birla tried running the Question Hour for half an hour. He had also issued a stern warning to Opposition members who were protesting in the Well of the House.
“Honorable members, if there is any damage to any Lok Sabha property, then the responsibility lies with the members. I would like make this request to member,” Mr. Birla cautioned the members who were protesting in the Well and around the secretary general’s desk.
Published - December 17, 2021 06:25 pm IST
