32 bills to be moved in budget session of Parliament

New Delhi, Feb 15 (PTI) 32 bills including thecontroversial Press and Registration of Books and Publicationsbill as also the Land Acquisition (Amendment) bill will beintroduced in Parliament during the Budget session beginningFebruary 21.

The Press and Registation of Books and Publications billhas been dubbed as ''draconian'' by the Indian NewspaperSociety, a body of newspaper owners, which alleged the measurehas been brought without consulting it.

Trinanmool Congress, which is a key component of UPA,has reservations about the Land Acquisition (amendment) billas land acquistion is a ticklish issue in assembly poll-boundWest Bengal where TC leader Mamata Banerjee is being projectedas the next Chief Minister.

The bill seeks to amend the land acquisition Act whoseprovisions have sparked controversy. It is being brought alongwith the Rehabiliation and Resettlement bill.

The Equal Opportunity bill, being brought as per therecommendations of the Sachar Committee which went into theplight of Muslims, had been a subject matter of controversywith a number of ministries objecting to its overridingmandate, after which government limited its scope only tominorities.

The Indecent Representation of Women (prohibition)amendment bill and the Protection of Children from SexualOffences bill are among other measures being introduced.

Women''s Reservation bill, officially known as theConstitution (108 Amendment) bill, is among the 31 bills beingbrought for consideration and passage during the three-monthsession. The bill which has already been passed in theRajya Sabha, seeks to provide one third reservation to womenin the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies.

A decision on the introduction of the bills was taken ata meeting Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansalhad with Secretaries of various Ministries and Departments.