Centre to withdraw 3 agri laws. Here is how a law is repealed in India

New Delhi, Nov 19: The NDA government will withdraw the contentious three farm laws in the forthcoming Winter session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday.

Bowing down the demands of the farmers' unions, the Centre has decided to repeal the three laws. PM Modi said that many farmers welcomed the laws but the government could not convince all.

"Such a sacred thing, absolutely pure, a matter of farmers' interest, we could not explain to some farmers despite our efforts. Agricultural economists, scientists, progressive farmers also tried their best to make them understand the importance of agricultural laws. Today I have come to tell you, the whole country, that we have decided to withdraw all three agricultural laws. In the Parliament session starting later this month, we will complete the constitutional process to repeal these three agricultural laws," he said.

So, how a law is repealed in India?

"For repeal, the power of Parliament is the same as enacting a law under the Constitution," explained former Union Law Secretary P K Malhotra. The government will have to bring a bill to repeal the three laws. "There is no other way," PTI quotes Lok Sabha Secretary General P D T Acharya as saying.

He added that the government can repeal the three laws through a single repealing bill. In the statement of objects and reason of the bill, the government can mention the reasons why it intends to repeal the three laws, he said.

"When a repeal bill is passed, it is also a law," observed Malhotra.

The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act are the three laws which were approved by the Parliament on 20 September and the President gave his assent on 27 September, last year.

Although the three agri laws have not been implemented, it has been passed by Parliament which have received assent of the President, said Malhotra, noting that they can be repealed by Parliament alone.

PTI