The Winter Session of Parliament, which assembled on Tuesday, will take up 45 Bills and one financial item over a period of the next almost a month that will see 20 sittings. The Parliament, which was adjourned for the day after obituary references to its former and sitting members who passed away this year, will function till January 8.

Those who died since the last session were former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar, Bihar MPs Bhola Singh and Maulana Asrarul Haq and Kerala MP MI Shahnavas.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar briefed the media after an all-party meeting in New Delhi on Monday, listing the 45 Bills and one financial item to be taken up during the Winter Session.

While three Bills replacing the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance, the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Ordinance and the Companies (Amendment) Ordinance are slated to be passed. Also expected to be considered are Consumer Protection Bill, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill and Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill.

Key Bills to be taken up 

1. The Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 2017: The Lok Sabha had in the Monsoon Session passed this Bill seeking to amend two Acts that will enable overseas voters to cast their vote in person or by proxy. It is pending in Rajya Sabha now.

2. The Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill, 2018: The Bill providing for a mechanism to ban unregulated deposit schemes is currently with the standing committee, according to PRS Legislative Research.

3. The National Medical Commission Bill, 2017: This will repeal the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 to establish the National Medical Commission (NMC).

4. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017: Passed by the Lok Sabha in April 2017, the Bill concerns cab aggregators, and aims to set up a National Road Safety Board, provide motor vehicle insurance, computerisation of licensing authorities and increasing penalties.

5. The Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2018: The Bill is likely to be introduced to replace an Ordinance bringing about amendments to the Companies Act, 2013, regarding certain offences and penalties.

6. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018: It is being introduced to replace an Ordinance, aiming to make declaration of instant ‘triple talaq’ illegal and void. It also seeks to make the practice punishable inviting up to three years of imprisonment. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 will be withdrawn once this one is passed.