Rajya Sabha passes Advocates (Amendment) Bill amid Opposition walkout

The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Offshore Areas Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023, amid a walkout by Opposition members over the situation in violence-hit Manipur.

The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was moved by Union Minister of State for Law & Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal. The Bill was passed and then the Upper House of Parliament was adjourned for the day.

The Advocate (Amendment) Bill, 2023 would help to regulate the legal profession through a single Act, the Advocates Act, 1961, according to statement of objects and reasons of the legislation.

Earlier on Thursday, the Offshore Areas Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023 that seeks to provide a fixed 50-year production lease for offshore minerals was moved by Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi in Rajya Sabha.

The Bill to amend the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002 was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The Rajya Sabha also passed the Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023.

Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur while replying to the discussion on The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023 in the Upper House said that this will lead to ease of doing business for media and publishing companies, simplify the process of registration and decriminalise several colonial-era penal provisions.

Thakur also observed that the bill traverses the journey from bureaucratic burden to ease of doing business.

He also said that those involved in terrorist activities or unlawful activities against the state will not be granted permission to start a paper or periodical.

The bill replaces the existing Press and Registration of Books (PRB) Act, 1867.

However, as the proceedings began at 2 p.m. in Rajya Sabha, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari raised a point of order on the Manipur issue.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar responded that he has held various discussions in chambers, but the situation has become such that we are out to win brownie points.

The House couldn't have a discussion despite being listed.

Following this, Opposition members started shouting "Pradhan Mantri sadan mei aao (Prime Minister come to Parliament)", while the INDIA MPs staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha.