BILLS AND ACTS 2015 (cid:127) This will put a stop to the illegal immigration Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) and various criminal acts going on across the Bill, 2015 border. (cid:127) Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister (cid:127) It will solve the border related disputes involving Narendra Modi gave its nod for amendments to the north-eastern states like Meghalaya, Tripura, the Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996 by Assam and West Bengal and improve the introducing the Arbitration and Conciliation development works of the region. (Amendment) Bill, on 26th August 2015. (cid:127) Also will provide relief to stateless citizens living (cid:127) Parties to the dispute may agree that their dispute be resolved through fast track procedure in the isolated lands of the countries by granting and the verdict shall be awarded within six them citizenship and basic government services. months period. (cid:127) During the extension of the period the court Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, 2015 might reduce the fees of the arbitrators which (cid:127) The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime may not exceed 5% for every month's delay, only if the court finds the reason behind the Minister, Shri Narendra Modi introduced a new delay in proceedings attributable to the arbitral Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, on August 07, tribunal. 2015. (cid:127) Section 31A added to meet the complete (cid:127) The Bill replaced the Bureau of Indian Standards requirements of the costs regime which will be Act, 1986 applicable to both, the arbitrators as well as to (cid:127) The Bureau will work under a Governing the related proceedings of the course. Council which will work for the general (cid:127) Amendment of Section 36 to ensure that only superintendence, direction and management of filing of the forms to challenge the award cannot the Bureau. automatically put a stay on the execution of the award. In fact the stay order can come to effect (cid:127) They will set up and maintain testing only if a specific judgement is passed on the laboratories for quality guarantee of goods, application filed by the party. articles, services, etc, and will act as the licensing authority for quality standards. The Constitution (119th Amendment) Act, 2015 (cid:127) The Bill grants power to the central government for mandatory certification of certain goods and (cid:127) The Parliament of India passed the 119th precious metals to confirm whether they meet constitutional amendment bill 2013 on 7th May the standard mark or not. 2015 after the consent of the President of India Pranab Mukherjee. (cid:127) Constitution (119th Amendment) Act, 2015 is Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill, 2015 related to the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) (cid:127) The Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill, between India and Bangladesh. 2015 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on May (cid:127) The bill aims to amend the 1st schedule of the 6, 2015 and passed by the same on 13th May constitution for the exchange of disputed 2015. territories occupied by both the nations in agreement with the 1974 bilateral LBA(Land (cid:127) The Bill was introduced to amend the Negotiable Boundary Agreement) Instruments Act, 1881. 2 Bills and Acts 2015 (cid:127) It defines promissory notes, bills of exchange, Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2015 cheques and creates penalties for issues such as bouncing of cheques. (cid:127) The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on 3rd (cid:127) Instances where more than one case is filed March 2015 and consequently by the Rajya against the same person in different courts, then Sabha on 11th March 2015. the case will be transferred to the court with the (cid:127) The Bill received the assent of the President on appropriate jurisdiction. the 19th March, 2015. (cid:127) The Bill amends the explanation of 'cheque in (cid:127) The Bill aims to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, the electronic form' which means a cheque 1988 and replace the ordinance promulgated in drawn in a electronic medium using any this regard. computer source and is signed in a secure system (cid:127) The bill describes “e-cart or e-rickshaw” as a with a digital signature, or electronic system. special purpose battery powered vehicle of (cid:127) The Bill was withdrawn on July 24, 2015 for power not exceeding 4000 watts, having three further amendment of the same. wheels for carrying goods or passengers. (cid:127) The bill empowers Union Government to make the rules on the specifications for e-carts and e- Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2015 rickshaws with conditions and manner for (cid:127) The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by the issuing driving licenses. Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr. (cid:127) One of the primary aims to bring the E-cart and Haribhai Partibhai Chaudhary on February 27, E-rickshaw under the ambit of MV Act will 2015 for the amendment of the Citizenship Act, provide employment to innumerable people who 1955. have upgraded from the manually pulled (cid:127) The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on 2nd rickshaws to the electric powered three-wheeled March 2015 and by the Rajya Sabha on 4th vehicles. March 2015. (cid:127) The Bill allows the central government to register Regional Rural banks (Amendment) Bill, 2014 a person as an Overseas Citizen of India (cid:127) The Regional Rural Banks (Amendment) Bill, cardholder even if s/he does not satisfy the given 2014 was introduced by Mr. Arun Jaitley, the eligibility under special circumstances only. Minister of Finance, in Lok Sabha on December (cid:127) In accordance with the Act any person who is/ 18, 2014. The Bill seeks to amend the Regional has been a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh or Rural Banks Act, 1976. any other country notified by the central (cid:127) The Bill seeks to raise the amount of authorised government will be deemed ineligible to apply capital from ` 5 crore to ` 2,000 crore and states for Overseas Citizenship of India. In addition to that it cannot be reduced below ` one crore. this the Bill extends the provision to cover persons (cid:127) The Bill states that the central government may whose parents/grandparents/ great-grandparents by notification raise or reduce the limit of were citizens of any of the above countries. shareholding of the central government, state (cid:127) It is a Merger of the Overseas Citizen of India government or the sponsor bank in the RRB. (OCI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) (cid:127) The Bill states that any person who is a director schemes. The Bill empowers the central at an RRB is not eligible to be on the Board of government to notify that Persons of Indian Directors for another RRB. Origin cardholders who will be considered to be (cid:127) The Bill raises the tenure of office for a director Overseas Citizen of India cardholders starting (excluding the Chairman) from two years to from a specific date. three years with the provision that no director (cid:127) The Bill also allows the central government to can hold office for a total period exceeding six cancel the Overseas Citizenship of India card years. in cases when the marriage is dissolved by a (cid:127) The bill changes the closing and balancing dates court, or the spouse enters into another marriage of the books of RRB from December 31st of every even while the first marriage has not been year to March 31st which will bring the Act in dissolved. uniformity with the financial year.