Subordinate Legislation

Subject: Polity

Context:

Former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said that the Environment Impact Assessment Act (EIA) 2020 as a subordinate legislation violates the parent Environment Protection Act.

Concept:

• Under the general law, the term ‘subordinate legislation’ is often used to refer to a legislative instrument made by an entity under a power delegated to the entity by the Parliament.
• It can be necessary for legislative power to be delegated for any of the following reasons:
  • to save pressure on parliamentary time
  • the legislation is too technical or detailed to be suitable for parliamentary consideration
  • to deal with rapidly changing or uncertain situations
  • to allow for swift action in the case of an emergency.