Send 7 bills to Rajya Sabha select committees: Opposition

New Delhi: A united opposition has decided to press the government to send seven pending bills — including proposed legislations on banning triple talaq and on amending the unlawful activities as well as the RTI Act — to select committees of the Rajya Sabha since standing committees have not yet been formed.

The Congress, Trinamool Congress, the Left Parties and others met on Wednesday, and the issue of government passing 12 bills in this session without scrutiny by any parliamentary committee came up.

The opposition will demand in the RS that the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill; Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill; Right to Information (Amendment) Bill; Inter-state River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill; The Code Wages Bill; Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code Bill; and the DNA Techonology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill be sent to select committees of the upper house.


A senior leader said the opposition is open to the resolution for the formation of select committees being moved by the government for these bills.

As per the norm, once the government agrees to the opposition’s demand for sending a particular bill to a select committee of the house, it moves a resolution to this effect. The committee is chaired by a member of the ruling party and has members from various parties.

According to people aware of the matter, the opposition’s demand is not likely to be met since the government has already decided to extend the session by 10 working days and will try its best to get these bills passed in this time frame.