The lower house of the Parliament has approved a bill to repeal 76 redundant and obsolete laws, with an aim of bolstering ease of living and business…reports Asian Lite News
The Lok Sabha has granted approval to a crucial bill that will revoke 76 redundant and obsolete laws, in line with the government’s ongoing efforts to enhance ease of living and business operations.
The move is part of the Modi government’s larger initiative, which has already led to the repeal of 1,486 laws. Once this bill secures Parliament’s approval, the tally of laws eliminated from the statute books will reach 1,562, as revealed by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal during his presentation of the bill.
Last December, the Repealing and Amending Bill was introduced to remove 65 old laws, but discussions on the bill were postponed in subsequent sessions. Minister Meghwal has now proposed an official amendment to include 11 additional bills, all of which are colonial-era laws, bringing the total number to 76.
The government considers the repeal of outdated laws essential for fostering both ease of living and ease of doing business. Taking a dig at the previous UPA government, Minister Meghwal highlighted that no unnecessary laws were repealed during their tenure.
Furthermore, the Repealing and Amending Bill aims to rectify a “patent error” in one of the laws by replacing specific words. Such periodic measures ensure that laws that are no longer in force or have become obsolete are removed from the books, simplifying the legal framework and eliminating unnecessary bureaucratic burdens.
Among the laws slated for repeal, the bill targets the Land Acquisition (Mines) Act, 1885, and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1950, which deals with the unlawful possession of telegraph wires.
Additionally, certain Appropriation Acts passed in recent times by Parliament are also set for repeal. Once the principal Act is amended, the relevance of the amendment laws diminishes, and retaining them as independent laws becomes superfluous, leading to a clogged legal system.
The bill also includes an amendment to the Factoring Regulation Act, 2011, specifically replacing the words “that Central Government” with “that Government” in section 31A, as mentioned in the third schedule of the bill.
Overall, the government’s push to repeal obsolete laws is aimed at streamlining governance, fostering a more conducive environment for citizens and businesses, and ensuring a more efficient legal framework for the country.
Meanwhile, the ruckus and war of words between the Treasury and Opposition over the prevailing situation in violence-scarred Manipur may stall proceedings in both Houses of the Parliament, as they reconvene for the seventh day of the ongoing Monsoon Session on Friday.
Members of the grand Opposition alliance, I.N.D.I.A, have been adamant on the demand that all listed businesses in both Houses be aside for a discussion on the Manipur situation. They have also been insisting on a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the prevailing state of affairs in the Northeast state.
The Opposition members on Friday are also likely to push for the demand that the Lok Sabha Speaker set a date for voting on the no-confidence motion against the Centre filed earlier.
The motion, on behalf of the Opposition alliance, was tabled earlier by Congress Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi.
Both Houses saw stormy scenes as the Treasury and the Opposition traded barbs during a discussion on the motion on Thursday.
Further, on Thursday, most of the Opposition members arrived in the Parliament dressed in black as a mark of protest against the alleged denial of a discussion on Manipur and the postponement of a debate on the no-confidence motion.
Rajya Sabha on Thursday witnessed noisy scenes almost from the beginning of the proceedings. Opposition party members raised slogans over their demand for a discussion on Manipur under Rule 287.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who made a statement on ‘Latest Developments in Foreign Policy’, faced constant interruptions as Opposition members continued raising slogans.
