15 Bills in Winter Session: Key Legislation Including Waqf Amendment Bill and Maritime Laws to be Debated in Parliament
 

Ahead of the winter session of Parliament, which is just around the corner, the Modi government is spring-prepping to introduce 15 key bills. The most important bills include five new draft bills-one that addresses maritime concerns and another establishing a cooperative university. For sure, the discussions during the winter session are bound to be hotting up with the government pushing ahead with its legislative agenda.

One of the major bills to be introduced is the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, which has generated much controversy. The bill was first introduced during the monsoon session in the Lok Sabha and then referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). The JPC is likely to produce its report in the first week of winter. The bill has faced fierce resistance from Muslim bodies and various opposition parties who challenged some amendments proposed by the bill.

Highly awaited, the much-talked-about 'One Nation One Election' bill will not be tabled in this session, surprising many. The much-debated and speculated upon 'One Nation One Election' bill seems to have taken a back seat for now.

Apart from the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, the government has in its agenda other crucial bills for introduction. The Merchant Shipping Bill is also one to be put for discussion which aims to align with international maritime treaties. Another significant piece of legislation is the Indian Ports Bill, formulated to upgrade the security, conservation, and control pollution of the ports. In addition, the Coastal Shipping Bill, cleared by the Union Cabinet last month, would be taken up to ease the regulatory framework for Indian-flagged vessels.

In the list of amendments to existing laws, the government has proposed several, including the Punjab Courts (Amendment) Bill aimed at enhancing the appellate jurisdiction of the Delhi district courts. Key pending bills include the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill and the Railways (Amendment) Bill.

When the winter session gains momentum, tensions are likely to reach boiling point, with opposition parties demanding the extension of JPC's tenure on the Waqf Bill. Given that the session has in store several high-stake bills, the session is going to be politically charged.

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