Rajya Sabha Passes Transgender Persons Bill 2019

Parliament Winter Session 2019, Constitution Day 2019: The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill on protection of rights of transgenders after a motion to refer it to a Select Committee of the Upper House was defeated. The Lok Sabha had passed the Bill on August 5 this year.

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019, seeks to provide a mechanism for social, economic and educational empowerment of transgenders and was moved for consideration and passage in the Rajya Sabha by Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot on November 20.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Parliament on the Constitution day during which he said, “The Constitution of India highlights both rights and duties of citizens. This is a special aspect of our Constitution. Let us think about how we can fulfil the duties mentioned in our Constitution.”

On the seventh day of the winter session of Parliament, several bills are scheduled to be tabled in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

In the lower house, Bills including the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Bill, 2019, the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Bill, 2019, the Industrial Relations Code, 2019, the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the National Institute of Design (Amendment) Bill, 2019, and the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Bill, 2019 will be taken up for discussion.

While in the upper house, the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019 will be moved by Union Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot and the Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill, 2019 will be moved by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

On Monday, the Centre introduced the International Financial Authority Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha, which is aimed at establishing an international financial services centres (IFSCs) authority for regulating financial services in all such centres in the country. The Bill was introduced by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the lower house.

Also, the Citizenship Amendment Bill slated to be introduced in the current session of Parliament would not be a replica of the last Bill that lapsed with the term of the 16th Lok Sabha but would have some “additional clarifications”, providing some definitions regarding illegal immigrants and refugees to bring clarity on provisions of the Bill, according to a Home Ministry official. A contentious legislation, the Bill seeks to amend a 1955 law to allow Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan apply for Indian citizenship, while keeping out Muslims.

Source: IE
Image Courtesy: The Wire