NEW DELHI: A total of 16 Bills, including the Aircraft Bill and Public Examination Act, has been passed by both the Houses of Parliament during 2024, said the ministry of Parliamentary Affairs on Tuesday. Apart from these important legislations, two crucial bills — the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the ‘One Nation One Election’ were also introduced and referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee for further scrutiny.
In a yearender release published on Tuesday, the ministry said that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which seeks to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, was referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee.
It further said that two bills — the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, which seeks to amend the Constitution of India; and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which seeks to amend the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 were referred to the JPC on December 20.
The 16 crucial legislations enacted during 2024 include the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, the Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Act, and the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, among others.
The government said that the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024 was aimed at amending the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 to decriminalise various provisions in the Act for minor violation.
Another bill — the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 — is meant to bring greater transparency, fairness and credibility to the public examination systems and to reassure the youth that their genuine efforts will be fairly rewarded and their future is safe.
The crucial Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Act, 2024 is intended to make appropriate amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Act, 2000 and the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Corporation Act, 2000 to provide reservations to the Other Backward Classes and also align certain provisions of these Acts with the Constitution.
As part of the 100 days agenda of the government, it launched six new initiatives including the 75th anniversary of adoption of the Constitution on November, 26, 2024 and a special function on the Constitution Day in Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan. It held a discussion by both Houses on ‘Glorious journey of 75 years of the Constitution’.
About 729 matters in Lok Sabha and 317 in Rajya Sabha were raised by members during the zero hour. The government said these matters were forwarded to the concerned ministries or departments for appropriate action.