Private Members bill

Subject: Polity

Context:

MPs have filed private member bills jointly and individually titled, Repealing and Amendment Bill 2021 for repeal of farm laws.

Concept:

It is a bill brought by the private members in any house.
Private member is any Member of Parliament who is not a minister.
The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and Speaker of the Lok Sabha decides whether to admit the bill or not.
The procedure of introduction of such bills needs a one-month notice. However, it is passed by same procedure as a public bill.
The House secretariat examines it for compliance with constitutional provisions and rules on legislation before listing.
Unlike the government bill (introduced by ministers), these bills are introduced and discussed only on Friday.
It generally reflects the Opposition stand in Parliament.
The drafting of bill is responsibility of members (in case of public bill it is done by the concerned department with consultation of the law department).
The chances of passage of private member bill is less as the majority in the house may go against it and treasury bench in house perceive it as a sanction of the government.
So far, only 14 such bills have been passed (none since 1970.)