Shipping Bill passed in Lok Sabha amid SIR protests

Even as the Opposition protest against the SIR issue again hit the work of Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the government managed to pass the Merchant Shipping Bill 2024 after a brief discussion in the second half. The Bill seeks to expand the eligibility criteria for ownership of merchant shipping vessels, provides for contemporaneous, futuristic and dynamic legislation to meet the requirements of India as an emerging economy and provides for investigation and enquiries on marine casualties.

When the House reassembled at 2 pm after a forced adjournment at 11 am, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal formally moved the Bill, which seeks to overhaul the Merchant Shipping Act of 1958 and align India's maritime laws with international conventions such as MARPOL and the Wreck Removal Conventions. The proceedings, with Sandhya Rai in the chair, quickly descended into chaos as Opposition MPs raised slogans and created a ruckus, stalling the rest of the business of the day.

Earlier in the morning, the Opposition resumed its protest as soon as the House met and the Speaker djourned the House till 2 pm.


Later as a counter to the government argument against the House discussing the issues involving the ECI, Congress deputy leader Gaurav Gogoi said, "Parliament has a long history of discussing electoral reforms and the functioning of the Election Commission".

He referred to Rajya Sabha in 1961 debating amendments to the conduct of elections rules and again debating the urgent need to amend existing election laws, about then LoP Ghulam Nabi Azad in 2015 moving a calling attention motion on proxy and e-postal voting for NRIs and in 2019, a short duration discussion on electoral reforms. "There is ample precedent. The government must not delay the long overdue and essential discussion on electoral reforms. Let us discuss electoral reforms in Parliament", Gogoi said.