New Delhi [India], December 20 : The Winter Session of Parliament, held from November 25 to December 20, 2024, saw significant legislative activity with the government focusing on various crucial issues.
While some bills were passed into law, others were introduced or progressed in discussions. The session reflected the government's continued efforts to address pressing matters across sectors.
According to PRS Legislative Research, during the session, two key bills were passed by Parliament. The Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024, which replaces the Aircraft Act, 1934, aims to modernize the regulatory framework governing civil aviation while retaining most provisions of the original Act.
The Appropriation (No. 3) Bill, 2024, another notable legislation, authorizes additional expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India for the fiscal year 2024-25. As a Money Bill, it was passed by the Lok Sabha and deemed approved by the Rajya Sabha without amendments. This bill was introduced during the Budget Session, 2024.
Five new bills were introduced during this Winter Session, targeting various legislative priorities. The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to enable simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies, a significant step towards electoral reforms. The bill however was moved to a Joint Parliamentary panel on demand by opposition parties.
Similarly, the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims for synchronized elections for the legislatures of Puducherry, Delhi, and Jammu and Kashmir alongside Lok Sabha polls. Both bills have been referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for further examination.
The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024, introduced on December 10, proposes reforms to replace the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958. It focuses on ship registration, maritime training, seafarer welfare, and pollution control.
Another maritime-focused bill, the Coastal Shipping Bill 2024, seeks to regulate vessels engaged in trade within India's coastal waters and is pending in the Lok Sabha.
Progress was also made on bills introduced in earlier sessions. Legislation such as the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was passed by Lok Sabha. Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024 were also advanced through one House.
Several other older bills, including the Pesticide Management Bill, 2020 and the Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy Pharmacy Bill, 2005, continue to await resolution. These examples highlight the extensive legislative backlog and the complexity of parliamentary deliberations.
As the session concluded, 33 bills remained pending in Parliament. This includes newer introductions like the Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2024, as well as older proposals such as the Seeds Bill, 2004, and the Delhi Rent (Amendment) Bill, 1997, which have been under consideration for decades.
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