Bill to repeal 758 irrelevant Acts introduced in LS

Law minister Sadanda Gowda today introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha to cleanse the statute book of 758 irrelevant Acts, including Railways (appropriation) Acts, as part of the Modi government's legislative reforms.

The appropriation Acts authorising expenditures for the duration of one financial year are intended for a limited time and have no meaning beyond that period.

The weeding out of a large number of appropriation Acts passed in the past several years will help avoid confusion.

The bill also provides repeal of 111 state appropriation Acts enacted by Parliament between 1950 and 1976. These Acts provide budgetary support to states and were enacted under President's Rule in the states.

After 1976, the right to repeal such appropriation Acts was given to states.

The bill is also in line with the recommendations of the Select Committee of Rajya Sabha to have a repeal clause in the Appropriation Acts. This will, however, be provided only when the enactment of the Appropriation Act, 2016 is undertaken.

"The repealing of appropriation Acts whose terms have ended will in no way cause any negative impact on actions that were validly taken under these Acts," according to the law ministry.

The legislative department of the law ministry had, meanwhile, proposed the introduction of a repeal mechanism that would systematically repeal appropriation Acts as is in vogue in the United Kingdom.