Winter Session, 2021 of Parliament adjourned sine die on Dec 22

Three Bills replacing the Ordinances, namely, the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 (9 of 2021), the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 (10 of 2021) and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 (8 of 2021) which were promulgated by the President before Winter Session, 2021, were considered and passed by the Houses.

One Bill namely the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was referred to the Joint Committee of both Houses of Parliament and five Bills are being referred to Standing Committees.

Some of the important Bills including three ordinances replacing Bills passed by Houses of Parliament are as under:

1. The Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 In view of protests by a group of farmers and in order to take everyone together on the path of inclusive growth and development in the 75th Year of India’s Independence, the bill was introduced and passed to repeal the three farm laws namely, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 passed by Parliament in September, 2020 with the objective of overall development of farmers.
2. The Dam Safety Bill, 2021, provides for surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of the specified dam for prevention of dam failure related disasters and to provide for institutional mechanism to ensure their safe functioning and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
3. The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulations) Bill, 2021,provides for establishment of the National Board, the State Boards and the National Registry  for the regulation and supervision of the assisted reproductive technology clinics and the assisted reproductive technology banks, prevention of misuse, safe and ethical practice of assisted reproductive technology services and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
4. The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2021, provides for regulation of surrogacy services in the country, to prohibit the potential exploitation of surrogate mothers and to protect the rights of children born through surrogacy.
5. The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2021 provides to bring clarity that the institutes established as well as any other similar institute to be established under the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Act shall be institutes of national importance and to establish a central body, to be called the Council to ensure coordinated development of pharmaceutical education and research and maintenance of standards, etc. and also to rationalise the Board of Governors of each such institute and to widen the scope and number of courses run by such institutes.

6. The High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2021 provides benefit of additional quantum of pension to a retired Judge from the first day of the month in which he completes the age specified in the first column of the scale and not from the first day of his entering the age specified therein as so interpreted by the High Courts.
7. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021 to rectify the anomaly in section 27A of the Act by substituting’ clause (viiib)’ in  place of ‘clause (viiia)’ in section 27A with a view to having correct interpretation and implementation of the NDPS Act.
8. The Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2021 provides for extension of tenure of Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation by up to one year at a time in public interest, till the completion of five years in total including the period mentioned in the initial appointment.
9. The Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2021 to provide for extension of tenure of Director of the Directorate of Enforcement by up to one year at a time in public interest, till the completion of five years in total including the period mentioned in the initial appointment.
10. The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 provides linking of electoral roll data with the Aadhaar ecosystem to curb the menace of multiple enrolment of the same person in different places;

Two Short Duration Discussions under Rule 193 were held in Lok Sabha on:

1. 1. COVID-19 pandemic and various aspects related to it, and
   2. Climate Change.

In the Rajya Sabha one discussion on the situation arising out of cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 virus in the country was held. The productivity of Lok Sabha was approximately 82% and that of Rajya Sabha was approximately 48 %, according to a PIB release.