Congress MPs to move private members' bill against Centre's farm laws in Lok Sabha

Amidst the ongoing Budget Session of the Parliament, Congress MPs from Punjab are set to move a private members' bill in the Lok Sabha to repeal the three contentious farm laws which were passed by the Parliament in September last year. The three farm bills which received the President's assent on September 27, 2020, have been stayed by the Supreme Court amid the ongoing impasse between farmers and the Centre over benefits of the three laws. 

Senior Congress leader Manish Tewari on Tuesday said that the 'Repealing and Amendment Bill 2021' will be moved in the Lower House by a group of the party MPs from Punjab. These include Preneet Kaur, Jasbir Singh Gill and Sanotkh Chaudhary. As per PTI, Tewari also remarked that Congress would request members of the Upper House to pass a similar bill in the Rajya Sabha to negate the three farm laws. The Congress MP also said they will seek the support of fellow MPs from other parties who have sympathies for the farmers and support their stand on the new legislation.

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Amid the ongoing protests over the three farm laws, farmers have been agitating at borders of the national capital for over two months now. It is pertinent to note that the Congress had promised similar farm laws in their 2019 manifesto for the General Elections. However, the grand old party has staged a massive opposition against these laws demanding a complete repeal of the three enacted bills which have been stayed amid deliberations between the protesting farmers' unions and the Centre. 

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What is Private Members' Bill?

A Member of the Parliament, who is not a minister, is distinguished as a private member of the house. While both private members and ministers take part in the lawmaking process, Bills introduced by private members are referred to as private member's bills and those introduced by ministers are referred to as government bills. The admissibility of a private Bill is decided by the Chairman in the case of the Rajya Sabha and the Speaker in the case of the Lok Sabha. It is important to note that a member must give at least a month's prior notice before the bill can be listed for introduction and discussion in the respective house whereas the same does not apply to a government bill. However, the chances of a private member bill to be passed by the Parliament are too bleak. 

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What are the farm laws? 

The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 aims at freeing the farmers from the constraints of the state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby they would be able to sell their produce anywhere. Meanwhile, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. This entails the provision of contract farming. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specifies that the supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potato, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances.

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(With PTI Inputs)