New Delhi: The Lok Sabha today, July 28, passed three bills in a span of less than 30 minutes as opposition members continued to raise slogans demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on Manipur, calling the swift passage of the bills “unconstitutional.”The House was initially adjourned within minutes of the day commencing. It reconvened at noon, and by 12.35 pm, the Modi government had introduced and passed three bills. The session was then adjourned for the week.The three bills that were introduced and passed are The National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023, The National Dental Commission Bill, 2023, and The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023.Opposition continues demand for PM’s statementWhen the House opened this morning, opposition MPs raised slogans demanding a statement from Modi. They also put forth the argument that considering the notice for a no-confidence motion had already been accepted, no other business should be conducted till the motion is discussed in the house.Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that in May 1978, when a no-confidence motion was moved, a discussion was held “on the same day.”Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in response said that he will give a date for the discussion on the no-confidence motion and asked the opposition members to allow the Question Hour to continue.“The rules state that we have 10 days’ time,” said Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Pralhad Joshi.“Whenever you (Speaker) decide, we are ready for the discussion,” he added.Birla then adjourned the session till noon.When the house reconvened at noon, Rajendra Agarwal took the Speaker’s chair and began the session’s proceedings as opposition members continued to raise slogans saying “pradhan mantri jawab do (prime minister, answer),” holding banners that read “Save Manipur”.At 12.07 pm, the Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan introduced The Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023. This Bill was not passed and will be taken up next week for consideration and passing.The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment BillAt 12.09 pm, The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023 was taken up for consideration and passed as opposition members were seen next to the Speaker’s chair holding banners on Manipur.The Bill amends the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. According to a summary of the Bill by PRS Legislative Research, while the earlier Act prohibited pitting, trenching, drilling, and sub-surface excavation as part of reconnaissance – the new Bill allows these prohibited activities.The Bill introduces an exploration licence, which will authorise either reconnaissance or prospecting, or both activities for specified minerals.The exploration licence will be issued for 29 minerals specified in the Seventh Schedule. These include gold, silver, copper, cobalt, nickel, lead, potash, and rock phosphate.The exploration licence will be granted by the state government through competitive bidding but the Union government will prescribe details such as manner of auction, terms and conditions, and bidding parameters for exploration licence through rules.While under the earlier Act auction of concessions was undertaken by the state governments, except in certain specified cases – the amended Bill adds that auction for composite licence and mining lease for specified critical and strategic minerals will be conducted by the central government. These minerals include lithium, cobalt, nickel, phosphate, potash, tin, phosphate, and potash.“The proposed exploration licence would facilitate, encourage and incentivize private sector participation in all spheres of mineral exploration for critical and deep-seated minerals,” says the Bill’s statement of objects and reasons.When the bill was introduced in Lok Sabha by coals and mines minister Pralhad Joshi (who also has the parliamentary affairs portfolio) on Wednesday, N.K. Premachandran of the Revolutionary Socialist Party had said that it is against the principle of federalism and will benefit multinational corporations, reported the news agency PTI.Only two MPs spoke during the discussion on the Bill today.Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sunil Kumar Singh BJP MP said that the amendment will allow India to become ‘atmarnirbhar‘ – a word for ‘self reliant’ and often a catchphrase for the Modi government – and allow India to strengthen its position in the global market and remove bureaucratic hurdles to gain licences and help mining companies.Bharat Rashtra Samithi MP M Srinivas Reddy was then asked to speak as opposition MPs were seen raising copies of the constitution in front of the Speaker’s chair.At 12.15 pm, minister Joshi gave his closing statement, calling the bill “revolutionary”.“There is a visible change in the country’s economy because of our policies and we have become the fifth largest economy of the world under Modi. With a clear vision and mind we are bringing changes that will benefit the nation not dynasties. Their (opposition) MP has even been jailed for coal allocation corruption,” Joshi said.“Once passed, it will boost exploration for critical/deep seated minerals helping indigenous technologies in space industry, electronics, energy sector and EVs,” he also said.My reply in Lok Sabha on The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023.Once passed, it will boost exploration for critical/deep seated minerals helping indigenous technologies in space industry, electronics, energy sector and EVs. pic.twitter.com/L4P9MJkn6B— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) July 28, 2023 At 12.28 pm, barely 20 minutes after the bill was introduced for consideration, it was passed by a voice vote amid sloganeering from opposition MPs.The National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023, and The National Dental Commission Bill, 2023Agarwal then announced that The National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023 and The National Dental Commission Bill, 2023 will be taken up together for consideration and passing.At 12.28 pm he invited Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya to introduce the bill as opposition MPs shouted “save the constitution.”Mandaviya said that the two bills have been brought to enhance dental education and nursing education and to strengthen the regulatory framework so nursing students and dentists can provide their service to the nation.Speaking in the Lok Sabha on 'The National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023' & 'The National Dental Commission Bill, 2023' https://t.co/5IfPLW4MP2— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) July 28, 2023 The National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023 repeals the Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947 and provides for the regulation and maintenance of standards of education and services for nursing and midwifery.The National Dental Commission Bill, 2023 repeals the Dentists Act, 1948 and constitutes the National Dental Commission, the Dental Advisory Council and three autonomous Boards for regulating dental education and standards of dentistry.“In line with various reforms in the medical sector in the recent past, including replacement of the erstwhile Medical Council of India by the National Medical Commission through the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, reforms in the dental education and profession and its regulatory framework are considered necessary to bring it at par with the global standards,” says the bill’s statement of objects and reasons.Both these bills were passed minutes after their introduction by Mandaviya with no discussion.Agarwal called for a voice vote on The National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill. Opposition MPs could be heard shouting, “Unconstitutional!”The Bill was passed at 12.32 pm.Agarwal then put The National Dental Commission Bill, 2023 to a voice vote as opposition MPs could be heard shouting, “Unconstitutional practice!”The Bill was passed and the house adjourned by 12.34 pm, till Monday.Opposition opposes bills’ passageWhile the Modi government has said that the Speaker will give a date for the no-confidence motion and the parliament’s legislative business should continue in the meantime, the opposition has said that while a no-confidence motion has been accepted, no other legislative business should be conducted.“No bill is introduced in Parliament after a no-confidence motion is accepted by the Lok Sabha Speaker, but we are seeing that several bills are introduced and passed in Parliament,” Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha said to ANI.A day ago, Congress MP Manish Tewari had said that it is “unfortunate” that Bill after Bill is being passed in the Lok Sabha while the no-trust motion awaits.It is unfortunate that bill after bill is being passed in the Lok Sabha in the din.Kaul & Shakhdar Page 772 Practice & Procedure of Parliament is very explicit . “When the leave of the house to the moving of a motion of ‘ No confidence’ has been granted no substantive motion on… pic.twitter.com/IobfmRezny— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) July 27, 2023“Kaul & Shakhdar Page 772 Practice & Procedure of Parliament is very explicit. ‘When the leave of the house to the moving of a motion of ‘No confidence’ has been granted no substantive motion on Policy matters is to be brought before the house by the government till the motion of no confidence is not disposed off”,” Tewari said.
