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The Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly has decided to withdraw the Uttar Pradesh Control of Goondas (Amendment) Bill, initially passed in February 2021. The bill, which had been sent to the governor for approval, was returned after two years, prompting questions from Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Aradhana Mishra Mona.
Mona is urging the state government to provide an explanation to the House regarding the governor’s decision to return the bill after a two-year period. Specifically, she is seeking clarification on any flaws in the bill that led to the governor withholding assent and sending it back for reconsideration.
According to parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, the governor’s decision to return the bill was due to technical reasons. Khanna explained that police commissionerates were established in Uttar Pradesh after the state assembly initially passed the Control of Goondas (Amendment) Bill in 2021. Notably, the appellate authority in the bill remained the same, handling both the appeal and its resolution.
In other legislative developments, the Uttar Pradesh Inland Waterways Authority Bill, 2023, was passed in the assembly. Transport minister Dayashankar Singh emphasized the global shift towards de-carbonization and the need for environmentally friendly transportation options. Singh highlighted the importance of waterways for tourism and transportation, especially given the environmental challenges associated with fossil fuels and the surge in fuel prices.
Additionally, the UP Sheera Niyantran (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023, addressing the control of storage, gradation, and pricing of molasses produced by sugar factories, was approved in the House. Excise minister Nitin Agarwal presented the bill, emphasizing its significance in regulating the production and supply of molasses in Uttar Pradesh.
The assembly also passed the UP Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023, with parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Kumar Khanna pointing out its association with online gaming. He highlighted the shift in perspective regarding online gaming from being considered a game of skill to being recognized as a game of chance involving monetary transactions. The amendment increases the tax on online gaming from 4% to 28%, requiring companies engaged in online gaming to register in Uttar Pradesh.
