It rained Bills this monsoon session amid cloud of protests

The monsoon session of Parliament, which concluded Friday, set an unlikely record despite seemingly meandering for the most part because of Opposition protests on the ethnic strife in Manipur.

- ARCHIS MOHAN

The session witnessed the government introducing 25 Billsthe second-highest in the dozen sessions of the 17th Lok Sabha. The government ensured the passage of 23 Bills.

Of the five Bills introduced on Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah tabled three Bills in the Lok Sabha to replace colonial-era laws, asserting that the proposed laws would transform the country's criminal justice system. One of the Bills seeks to repeal sedition and award maximum capital punishment for crimes, such as mob lynching and rape with minors. The Bill also provides for community service as one of the punishments for first-time petty offences. It lists new offences, such as acts of secession, armed rebellion, subversive activities, separatist activities or endangering India's sovereignty or unity and integrity.