Sunset clause of the Essential Defence Services Bill 2021

Sunset clause of the Essential Defence Services Bill 2021

Subject: Polity

Context: The Essential Defence Services Bill, 2021, passed in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday does not come into effect unless it is invoked and is in place for only one year, a defence official said. The Defence Services Bill will lapse after a year’ Right to protest stays, says defence official

Concept:

• The Essential Defence Services Bill, 2021 was promulgated to prevent the employee unions of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) from going on strike against the corporatisation plan that was announced.
• “There is a sunset clause introduced in Clause 1 as an amendment. It is applicable only for one year, after which it will lapse.
• It does not come into effect by default. Employees have the right to peaceful protest.
• The Bill also did not violate the International Labour Organisation convention. It was meant to ensure uninterrupted supply to the Services, which was “especially essential in the current situation.

sunset provision

• A provision in a Bill that gives it an expiry date once it is passed into law. Sunset clauses are included in legislation when it is felt that Parliament should have the chance to decide on its merits again after a fixed period.
• Sunset provision, or sunset law, is a clause in a statute, regulation, or similar piece of legislation that expires automatically. A sunset provision provides for an automatic repeal of the entire or sections of the law once a specific date is reached.
• Once the sunset provision date is reached, the pieces of legislation mentioned in the clause are rendered void. If the government wishes to extend the length of time for which the law in question will be in effect, it can push back the sunset provision date any time before it is reached.