Cabinet approves bill to repeal 3 Farm Laws; Bill to be tabled in winter session of Parliament

Nov. 24: Five days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the decision to repeal the three contentious farm laws against which the farmers had been protesting for a year, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared the bill to be taken up in the upcoming Winter session of the Parliament to roll back the laws.

The Central government has listed 26 new bills that are likely to be tabled during the Winter Session of the Parliament. The session will be conducted between November 29 and December 23. This time, the session will have about 20 sittings and will be held with all Covid-19 protocols.

The listed legislations include the one to repeal the three contentious farm laws.The list of business for Lok Sabha on November 29 revealed that a bill titled “The Farm Laws Repeal Bill 2021” will be introduced on November 29 to repeal the three farm laws – (1) Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; (2) Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020; and (3) Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in a special address to the nation on November 19 that the Centre will take steps to repeal the three farm laws during the upcoming winter session of Parliament. “Three farm laws will be repealed as a result of our decision. In the upcoming Parliament session, we will complete the constitutional process to repeal the law “, said the Prime Minister.

Apart from the above Farm Laws, other legislations that will get introduced are:-

Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official (Digital Currency Bill) of 2021:- The law will put in place the framework for the RbI to create its digital currency and might also ban the use of private cryptocurrencies. However, the underlying technology like the blockchain might be exempted.

Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill of 2021:-This Bill will extend the CBI Director’s tenure by 5 years.

The Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Bill of 2021:-It will extend the Director of Enforcement’s tenure by 5 years.

Emigration Bill, 2021:-This Bill will replace the Emigration Act (1938) to form a new emigration management framework that would facilitate orderly and safe migration.

High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill of 2021:-The Bill is set to amend the salaries and conditions of service of Supreme Court and High Court judges.

The Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill 2021 :- As per the purpose of the bill, amendments need to be made in Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Acts, 1970 and 1980, and Banking Regulation Act, 1949, in order to privatise two public sector banks.