Lawmaking procedure in India

The legislative procedure in India is similar to the lawmaking procedure in Britain, with the proposed law or bill passing through two houses of the legislature.

Difference between a bill and an act

Legislative proposals are brought before either house of the Parliament of India in the form of a bill. A bill is the draft of a legislative proposal, which, when passed by both houses of Parliament and assented to by the President, becomes an Act of Parliament. Bills may be introduced in the Parliament by ministers or private members. The former are called government bills and the latter, private members' bills. Bills may also be classified as public bills and private bills. A public bill is one referring to a matter applying to the public in general, whereas a private bill relates to a particular person or corporation or institution. The "Orphanages and Charitable Homes Bill" or the "Muslim Wakfs Bills" are examples of private bills.

Procedure relating to an ordinary bill

There are three stages through which a bill has to pass in one house of the Parliament.

First reading - introduction stage

A minister, or member-in-charge of the bill seeks the leave of the house to introduce a bill. If the bill is an important one, the minister may make a brief speech, stating its main features. After the bill has been introduced, the first reading is deemed to be over. Therefore, in the first stage, only the principles and provisions of the bills are discussed.

econd reading - discussion stage

This stage concerns the consideration of the bill and its provisions and is further divide into three stages.

;First stage: On a date fixed for taking up consideration of the bill, there takes place a general discussion when only the principles are taken up for discussion. At this stage, three options are open to the house. The bill may be straightaway be taken into consideration or it may be referred to any of the Standing Committees or it may be circulated for the purpose of eliciting general opinion thereon

;Second stage, that is, discussion on the report: The next stage consists of a clause-by-clause consideration of the bill as reported by the committee. When all the clauses have been put to vote and disposed of, the second reading of the bill is over.

Changes or amendments to the bill can be made only in this stage. Amendments become a part of a bill if they are accepted by a majority of the members present and voting.

Third reading - voting stage

The next stage is the third reading. The debate on the third reading of a bill is of a restricted character. It is confined only to arguments either in support of the bill or for its rejection, without referring to its details. After the bill is passed, it is sent to the other house

Bill in the other house

After a bill, other than a money bill, is transmitted to the Rajya Sabha, it goes through all the stages in that house as that in the first house. But if the bill passed by one house is amended by the other house, it goes back to the originating house. If the originating house does not agree with the amendments, it shall be that the two houses have disagreed.

Joint-session of both houses

In case of a deadlock between the two houses or in a case where more than six months lapse in the other house, the President may summon a joint session of the two houses which is presided over by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the deadlock is resolved by simple majority. Until now, only three bills: the "Dowry Prohibition Act" (1961), the "Banking Service Commission Repeal Bill" (1978) and the "Prevention of Terrorism Bill" (2002) have been passed at joint sessions.

President's assent

When a bill has been passed, it is sent to the President for his assent. The President can assent or withhold his assent to a bill or he can return a bill, other than a money bill with his recommendations. If the President gives his assent, the bill becomes an Act from the date of his assent. If he withholds his assent, the bill is dropped. If he returns it for reconsideration, the Parliament must do so, but if it is passed again and returned to him, he must give his assent to it. In the case of a Constitutional Amendment Bill, the President is bound to give his assent.