PRS Legislative News Alert

May 1 - 15, 2008

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Latest from PRS

Budget Session 2008

Vital Stats Budget 2008
Some statistics about the Session.

Plan Vs Performance
Comparison of actual legislative business transacted Vs. original plan.

Parliament Session Summary
Full list and brief description of all Bills introduced, passed, and pending in Parliament.


Previous Alerts

April 1 - 15, 2008
April 16 - 30, 2008







Important Legislative News

CJI should come under RTI Act: Panel
Hindu, May 1
 

The 25th report of the Parliamentary Committee on Law and Justice stated that all constitutional authorities, including the Chief Justice of India, would come under the ambit of the Right to Information Act.


Security net for us and them
Indian Express, May 1
 
 

The Unorganised Sector Workers’ Social Security Bill which was listed for consideration and passing (although not passed) in the Budget session of Parliament has been explained in this article.


Compensation hiked for air travellers
Economic Times, May 1

The Carriage by Air (Amendment) Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha, includes the provisions of the 1999 Montreal Convention which seeks to increase compensation for death or bodily injury from $2,000 to $1,40,000.


Cabinet approves amendment to CrPC Bill
Indian Express, May 2

The Union Cabinet approved amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2006, in line with the suggestions made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs.


Lok Sabha adjourned sine die
Economic Times, May 5 
 


Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee adjourned the House sine die, bringing its Budget session to a close four days ahead of schedule.  The Union Budget and the Railways Budget, 2008-09 were passed in the session.


Bill on afforestation programme introduced
Hindu, May 6  

The government introduced the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill in the Lok Sabha.  It seeks to establish a statutory fund and a Management Authority to undertake a massive afforestation programme.


Amid drama Womens's Bill tabeled in Parliament
Hindu, May 7

The government introduced the Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill, 2008, in the Rajya Sabha, amid protests by some Parliamentarians.  The Bill seeks to reserve one-third seats for women in Parliament and state assemblies.


The young and questioning
Indian Express, May 7

The article summarises the activity of the MPs who are below the age of 45 years during the Budget session.  While the attendance rate was lower, they asked far more questions than the older MPs.


House in Numbers
Indian Express, May 7


The article analyses the working of Parliament during the Budget session which ended on May 5 for Lok Sabha and May 6 for Rajya Sabha.


SC scraps law Ramadoss rammed through, Venugopal back at AIIMS
Indian Express, May 9

The Supreme Court struck down the law that amended the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Act to fix the age limit of the director at 65 years. This verdict reinstated Dr P Venugopal as director of AIIMS.


HC stays OBC reservation in IIM Calcutta
Business Standard, May 15


The Calcutta High Court stayed the implementation of OBC quota in post-graduate courses in Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta.