NEW DELHI, August 10: In a legislative move set for Thursday, the Central government is poised to present the Pharmacy (Amendment) Bill, 2023, among a trio of bills in the Rajya Sabha. The Pharmacy (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Repealing and Amending Bill, 2023 are slated for deliberation and endorsement, while the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 will be introduced.
The initial action will see Union Minister of Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, introduce the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 in the Upper House. This bill is designed to oversee the appointment processes, service conditions, and tenure of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, along with establishing procedures for the Election Commission’s operational conduct.
Subsequently, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will present the Pharmacy (Amendment) Bill, 2023 for consideration and approval. This bill aims to amend the Pharmacy Act, 1948, a prerequisite for practicing pharmacy in India. The bill proposes the insertion of a new section, 32C, that grants special provisions for individuals registered or qualified under the Jammu and Kashmir Pharmacy Act, 2011. It stipulates that those registered as pharmacists under the Jammu and Kashmir Pharmacy Act, 2011, or those possessing qualifications outlined in the 2011 Act, will be automatically considered registered pharmacists under the Pharmacy Act, 1948. This status will be contingent on these individuals submitting registration applications within a year of the amendment’s enactment and fulfilling the stipulated fee requirement.
Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will later introduce the Repealing and Amending Bill, 2023, in the Rajya Sabha for review and endorsement. This bill seeks to repeal a total of 65 outdated laws or those rendered redundant by newer legislations. Furthermore, the bill addresses a minor drafting error within the Factoring Regulation Act, 2011.
The bill’s First Schedule features a compilation of 24 laws set for repeal, which includes 16 amending Acts and two from the pre-1947 era. The Second Schedule of the bill encompasses 41 Appropriation Acts slated for repeal, covering a span from 2013 to 2017, including 18 Appropriation Acts concerning the Railways.
