Three Private Member’s Bills submitted by CPI MP Binoy Viswam are listed in
Private Member’s Legislative Business for introduction today on 21st July, 2023.
Friday is usually reserved for private member’s business when Parliament is in
session. The three bills submitted by Binoy Viswam deal with issues of vital
importance and await consideration and discussion in the House. Shri Viswam submitted the bill for the abolition of Governor’s office in the Month of April responding to the need of the hour. The ceremonial office of Governor has become a burden on Indian polity encroaching on the functioning of democratically elected state governments. Interference by Governors has intensified under BJP rule at the Union and many instances of destabilizing state governments by misusing Raj Bhavans have come to light. States ruled by non-BJP opposition parties like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Maharashtra saw continuous tensions between elected governments and the office of the Governor. To prevent this usurpation of authority in future, CPI MP Binoy Viswam submitted the
Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2023 which seeks to amend more than 70 articles
of the Constitution to put an end to the colonial baggage harming our polity as office
of Governor. Law-making should remain consistent with the continuously evolving society
and public morality in order to be relevant to the people it intends to serve. Women
have been overlooked and marginalized historically and that reflected in the laws of
the past, especially of colonial origin. The exemption from persecution given to
husbands in case of non-consensual intercourse with wife is one such relic of our
colonial past which subjugates women’s agency to males. Our society should be built
on the solid foundation of gender equality and the Bill submitted by Shri Viswam,
by amending the Indian Penal Code, 1860 attempts to further the cause of women
liberation and equality. If cleared, the Bill will make IPC consistent with the spirit
of Article 14 and Article 21 of the Constitution by making women equal partners and
by respecting their choice. The third bill is The Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Superstitious Practices Bill, 2022 deals with superstitions and unscientific thinking prevalent in certain sections of society and seeks to eradicate them. The bill aims to bring social awareness against such practices to create a safe and healthy environment based on scientific temper.
