Latest news with #MerchantShipping(Amendment)Bill
Economic Times
06-08-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Lok Sabha passes Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill
Synopsis The Lok Sabha passed the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024, amidst opposition protests, aiming to modernize maritime legislation and address India's evolving economic needs. This bill broadens vessel ownership eligibility and grants the government authority to detain stateless vessels within Indian waters. It repeals the Merchant Shipping Act of 1958, introducing contemporary provisions for marine casualty investigations. IANS In a stormy session of the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the House passed the Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill, 2024, through a voice vote, despite sustained protests and disruptions from Opposition members demanding a debate on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in Bihar. A bill to expand the eligibility criteria for ownership of merchant shipping vessels and provide for investigation and enquiries on marine casualties was passed by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday after a brief discussion as opposition continued with its protests seeking discussion on poll roll revision in soon as the Bill was passed, the House proceedings were adjourned for the day amid noisy protests by Opposition members. The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024 empowers the central government to take charge and detain vessels within India or in coastal waters as a vessel without nationality, if such vessel is not legally entitled to fly the flag of a state or has lost such a right. The bill seeks to repeal the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 and provides for contemporaneous, futuristic and dynamic legislation to meet the requirements of India as an emerging economy.
Time of India
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Lok Sabha passes Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill
In a stormy session of the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the House passed the Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill, 2024, through a voice vote, despite sustained protests and disruptions from Opposition members demanding a debate on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in Bihar. The Lok Sabha passed the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024, amidst opposition protests, aiming to modernize maritime legislation and address India's evolving economic needs. This bill broadens vessel ownership eligibility and grants the government authority to detain stateless vessels within Indian waters. It repeals the Merchant Shipping Act of 1958, introducing contemporary provisions for marine casualty investigations. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads A bill to expand the eligibility criteria for ownership of merchant shipping vessels and provide for investigation and enquiries on marine casualties was passed by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday after a brief discussion as opposition continued with its protests seeking discussion on poll roll revision in soon as the Bill was passed, the House proceedings were adjourned for the day amid noisy protests by Opposition Merchant Shipping Bill , 2024 empowers the central government to take charge and detain vessels within India or in coastal waters as a vessel without nationality, if such vessel is not legally entitled to fly the flag of a state or has lost such a bill seeks to repeal the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 and provides for contemporaneous, futuristic and dynamic legislation to meet the requirements of India as an emerging economy.
NDTV
06-08-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Lok Sabha Passes Merchant Shipping Amendment Bill Amid Opposition Uproar
New Delhi: In a stormy session of the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the House passed the Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill, 2024, through a voice vote, despite sustained protests and disruptions from Opposition members demanding a debate on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in Bihar. The proceedings, which resumed post-adjournment at 2 p.m. with Sandhya Rai in the chair, quickly descended into chaos as Opposition MPs raised slogans and created a ruckus, stalling normal legislative business. Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal formally moved the Bill, which seeks to overhaul the Merchant Shipping Act of 1958 and align India's maritime laws with international conventions such as MARPOL and the Wreck Removal Convention. The legislation expands the definition of vessels to include mobile offshore drilling units, submersibles, and non-displacement crafts, and introduces provisions for temporary registration of vessels destined for recycling -- aimed at boosting activity at hubs like Alang. Despite the din, BJP MPs Brajesh Chowta (Dakshina Kannada) and Mukeshkumar Chandrakant Dalal (Surat) spoke in support of the Bill, though their remarks were largely inaudible amid the uproar. The Bill also empowers the Director-General of Marine Administration to regulate maritime education and training, ensuring Indian seafarers meet global standards. Responding to the Opposition's demand for a debate on the Bihar voter list revision, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju reiterated the government's openness to discussion on any issue, provided it adheres to Constitutional provisions and the rules of Parliamentary business. He cited Rule 325, which prohibits discussion on matters pending before a court, and reminded the House of a 1988 ruling by then Speaker Balram Jakhar, who had affirmed that the Election Commission's actions cannot be commented upon in Parliament due to its autonomous status. "The House is not permitted to discuss the conduct of a higher Constitutional authority," Rijiju asserted, urging Opposition members to respect Parliamentary norms and allow the House to function. "Do you want to break the rules established by this House? Do you want to dismiss the decisions of past Speakers?" he asked pointedly. Following the passage of the Bill, the chair adjourned the House until Thursday, leaving several other legislative items pending. The Monsoon Session, which has already witnessed multiple adjournments, continues to be marred by procedural deadlocks and political confrontations. The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024, however, marks a significant step in modernising India's maritime sector, promising enhanced safety, sustainability, and competitiveness in global shipping markets.
