Govt to table The Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022 in RS

New Delhi: The Centre will table ‘The Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022’ on Wednesday in the Rajya Sabha even as the opposition is likely to protest against the suspension of 19 members.
On Tuesday, 19 opposition Members were suspended from the Rajya Sabha for a week for disrupting the House proceedings. The 19 members include seven from the Trinamool Congress, six from the DMK, three from TRS, two from CPI-M and one from CPI. Deputy Chairman Harivansh had said that the Members were suspended for showing utter disregard to the House and the authority of the Chair.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh will move the Bill ‘The Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022’ as passed by the Lok Sabha to be taken into consideration. The Bill seeks to extend the application of domestic laws to research stations set up by India in the Antarctic region. India has two active research stations in the Antarctic — Maitri and Bharti — where scientists are involved in research. Under the provisions of the Bill, private tours and expeditions to Antarctica would be prohibited without a permit or the written authorisation by a Member country.
The Upper House also is expected to pass ‘The Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022’. External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar moved the Bill on July 19 as passed by the Lok Sabha to be taken into consideration. On Monday, as members of the BJP continued to participate in discussion on the Bill amid sloganeering from the opposition benches, the Chair announced that the minister’s statement on the Bill and its consideration and passing will take place on next day. However, it could not be taken up on Tuesday due to the opposition protests.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will move the motion to elect two Members for the Committee on Official Language in an existing vacancy and another that will arise on August 1, due to the retirement of Dr. Subhash Chandra from the membership of the Rajya Sabha.
Union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste will make a statement regarding the status of implementation of recommendations contained in the 23rd report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development on Demands for Grants (2022-23) pertaining to the Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development.
Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi and Muzibulla Khan will lay statements of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy.
Ministers will lay papers related to their respective ministries.