Opposition members in the lok Sabha on Tuesday criticised the Government for bringing two key Bills related to shipping at a short notice for approval by the House, saying “this is becoming a practice” of the new dispensation. The Opposition MPs raised the issue during the debate on two Bills — The Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill, 2013 and the Merchant Shipping (Second) Amendment, Bill 2013, which were later passed by the Parliament.
They said these Bills were not listed in the revised list of business and they were not given opportunity to study the legislation being brought by the Government. They lamented that the Bills were brought for consideration and passage after stopping debate on natural calamities. Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari brought the Bills in the lok Sabha through second supplementary list of business, a day after these were cleared by the Rajya Sabha after discussion.