Parliament Updates: Union Minister Hardeep Puri To Table Bill To Amend Oilfields Regulation Act

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri is all set to table the Bill to modify the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act, 1948, while there is a likelihood of protests and verbal clashes between the treasury and opposition benches if the Centre introduces tweaks to the Wakf Act.

The amendments to the 1995 law governing Waqf boards will potentially reduce or restrict the powers of the boards. These pertain to more accountability and transparency in the functioning of Waqf boards and mandatory inclusion of women in these bodies. The Bill will make it mandatory for Waqf boards to register their properties with district collectors to ensure their actual valuation.

Apart from that, the government will introduce a Bill in the Lok Sabha to provide reservation to scheduled tribes (ST) in the Goa legislative assembly. As of now, the ST community has no seats reserved in the state’s assembly. Law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will introduce the Bill, which is also listed for the Rajya Sabha.

The Monsoon Session of Parliament commenced on July 22 and, as per the schedule, will conclude on August 12.

Here are the updates:

Waqf Act Amendments Likely To Be Introduced First In RS

The amendments to the Waqf Board Act are likely to be introduced first in the Rajya Sabha. Sources told news agency ANI that the central government could move to bring the amendments within this week.

According to the sources, the government interacted and took suggestions from various Muslims intellectuals and organisations to introduce reforms before bringing amendments. At least 32 to 40 amendments are being considered in the Waqf Board Act, the sources said.

Reacting to this, UP minister Danish Azad Ansari said complaints had been received about encroachment and the misuse of Waqf property. “The properties of the Waqf board should be used for the upliftment of the people of the Muslim community. However, we were receiving complaints of encroachment, misusing the lands, etc… The Modi and Yogi government believes in the interest of the Muslim community. We must protect their interests. The properties of the Waqf Board should be used in the construction of hospitals, schools and colleges for the benefit of the Muslim community,” he said.

Bill to Provide ST Representation in Goa Assembly Introduced in Lok Sabha

Law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha to provide reservation to scheduled tribes (ST) in the Goa Legislative Assembly. As of now, the ST community has no seats reserved in the state’s assembly.

The bill is titled Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024 and will empower the census commissioner to notify the population of STs in Goa. According to the Bill, the population of the Scheduled Tribes has increased considerably in Goa as per 2011 census vis-à-vis 2001 census figures.

It noted that a “peculiar situation” has arisen in the state, wherein the population of the STs there vis-à-vis the population of SCs is considerably higher — as per the Primary Census Abstract, 2011 for Goa. The total population was 14,58,545; the population of SCs was 25,449 and the population of STs was 1,49,275.

The Bill will empower the census commissioner to notify the population of STs in Goa. Based on it, the Election Commission will amend the Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008, to make way for ST reservation in the 40-member Goa assembly. The poll panel will take into consideration the revised population figures of STs and readjust the legislative assembly constituency once the Bill becomes a law.

SP to Oppose Centre’s Move to Amend Law Governing Waqf Boards

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said his party will oppose the Centre’s move to bring a Bill in Parliament to amend the 1995 law governing Waqf boards, and accused the BJP of trying to snatch the rights of Muslims. “We will be against it (Wakf act amendment bill),” Yadav told reporters when asked about the proposed amendment.

“BJP’s only work is to divide Hindus and Muslims, snatch the rights of Muslim brothers and work on how to snatch the rights given to them in the Constitution,” he said, adding that the Modi government had earlier snatched the rights of Anglo-Indians.

“Anglo-Indians used to have one seat in the Lok Sabha and one in the Vidhan Sabha. They had their own representation, but they got a fake census done and snatched the seats of Anglo-Indians,” he alleged.

TMC Leader Derek O’Brien Urges Centre to Slash GST on Health Insurance

Senior TMC leader Derek O’Brien urged the government to reduce 18 per cent GST on health insurance policies, saying the high tax rate is burdening people, especially the middle class. Raising the issue during Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha, he also referred to a letter written to the finance minister by senior BJP leader and Union minister Nitin Gadkari making similar demand.

“The demand is straightforward. Reduce 18 per cent GST on medical and health insurance. We should reduce it because this is an issue which is burdening people, mainly the middle class. That’s why it needs to be reduced,” said Derek.

The TMC leader said insurance penetration in India is low at 4 per cent compared to more than 7 per cent globally. Further, he said there is an imbalance in the insurance sector, where 75 per cent is life insurance policies, and 25 per cent medical insurance.

Derek said the West Bengal CM has written to the finance minister in this regard and many opposition MPs have also raised the issue. “They won’t listen to us…,” he said, adding that the finance minister should at least listen to Gadkari.

Derek also rejected the argument given by the government that GST Council can only change this. “This is a flawed argument,” he said, adding that the NDA has majority in the council also. “We must not allow the finance minister to hide behind the curtain of the GST Council. This is a middle class issue. This is not a political issue.”

Congress never made scheme like PM Kisan Samman Nidhi: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Congress talked about direct assistance to farmers but it never came up with a scheme like the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi when it was in power. “…Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi made this scheme. They (opposition) will not understand but the amount of Rs 6,000 matters for small farmers… Due to this Kisan Samman Nidhi, farmers have become self-reliant, farmers have also become empowered and the respect of farmers has also increased. They (opposition) cannot see the respect of farmers…”

He added: “…When this Congress was in power in different states, farmers were killed. In 1986 when the Congress was in power in Bihar, 23 were killed in firing. In 1988, on the death anniversary of Indira Gandhi in Delhi, two farmers were killed. In 1988, they fired on farmers in Meerut and five farmers were killed…”

Congress MP moves adjournment notice to ‘revise income criteria of OBC creamy layer’

Congress MP Manickam Tagore has moved an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha to “revise the income criteria of OBC creamy layer to reflect current socioeconomic conditions”. The notice stated: “Implement transparent policies to address disparities and ensure effective support, or else remove the creamy layer for OBCs, which has blocked the way for youth into the system. Enhance support for OBC youth through better educational and vocational training programs.”

“Today, I have moved an Adjournment motion on the OBC creamy layer issue which has been pending since 2017. PM (Narendra) Modi claims that he is an OBC son, but in his government, since 2017 they have not increased the creamy layer limit. It shows their intent is different and their publicity and marketing are different… We all know that caste census is a very critical issue now, and this government is completely not ready to conduct a census as well as a caste census…” Tagore said.

Bill to amend Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act To Be Introduced in RS

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri will introduce the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill, 2024 in the Rajya Sabha to amend the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act,1948. Minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Suresh Gopi will lay on the table the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on Information Systems Audit of selected Central Public Sector Enterprises – Union Government (Commercial) – Ministry of Petroleum and Natual Gas no. 2 of 2024 (Compliance Audit Observations).

Waqf system has to come out of touch-me-not syndrome: Naqvi

Former minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the Waqf system has to come out of the “touch-me-not” syndrome, and stressed that a “communal attack on inclusive reforms” is not right. In a post in Hindi on X, Naqvi said, “The Waqf system will have to come out of the madness of ‘touch-me-not’ syndrome-politics.”

Sources said the move comes in the backdrop of demands from within the Muslim community. Several Muslim organisations and clerics have opposed the proposed amendments in the Wakf Act. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi alleged that the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre wants to take away the autonomy of Waqf boards.

Interference won’t be tolerated: AIMPLB

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board said any interference with the legal status and the powers of the Waqf boards will not be tolerated. It urged allies of the NDA and opposition parties to “completely reject any such move” and not allow such amendments to be passed in Parliament.

Spokesperson SQR Ilyas said the board appeals to all Muslims and their religious and Milli organisations to unite against this “malicious act of the government”. The board will take all kinds of legal and democratic measures to thwart this move, he said.

“The All India Muslim Personal Law Board deems it necessary to make it clear that any change in the Wakf Act, 2013 which alters the nature of Waqf properties or makes it easier for the government or any individual to usurp the same will not be acceptable,” Ilyas said.

He said according to confirmed reports, the government wants to change the status and nature of the Waqf properties through about 40 amendments in the Wakf Act, so that their possession becomes easier. He added that the Wakf Act and Waqf properties are protected by the Constitution of India and the Shariat Application Act, 1937.

Ilyas further said the issue will not be restricted to Muslims only as “after wielding the axe on Wakf Act, it is feared that the next number may be the endowments of Sikhs and Christians and then on the Matta and other religious properties of Hindus”.