Waqf Bill among 15 legislations listed by Modi govt for Winter Session of Parliament

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government has listed 15 bills, including the Waqf Act Amendment Bill, for the Winter Session of the Parliament, which begins on November 25 and runs till December 20.

Five bills have been listed for introduction, consideration and passage, while 10 are for consideration and passage, according to the bulletin of the Lok Sabha.

The most important legislation in the session will be the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The controversial Bill, introduced in the Monsoon session of Parliament, aims to curtail the powers of the Waqf board, among others. The introduction led to a ruckus in the house, and the Bill was then sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for wider scrutiny.

Other Bills Listed

The other bills for consideration and passage in the upcoming session include the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, the Railways (Amendment) Bill, the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, and the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill.

The bills listed for introduction also include the Rashtriya Sahkari Vishwavidyalaya Bill, which seeks to establish Rashtriya Sahkari Vishwavidyalaya. 

The Punjab Courts (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to amend the Punjab Courts Act, 1918, to enhance the pecuniary appellate jurisdiction of Delhi District Courts from the existing ₹3 lakh to ₹20 lakh, is also listed for introduction in the Winter Session of Parliament.

Among other legislation listed for the session, the Merchant Shipping Bill seeks to ensure compliance with maritime treaties to which India is a party. The Coastal Shipping Bill seeks to promote coasting trade. The Indian Ports Bill seeks to provide for measures to secure conservation of Ports, security and pollution control at the Ports in line with India’s International Obligations and statutory compliance.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is also expected to present the first batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants (SDG) 2024-25 in the session.