Monsoon session: Centre to table weapons of mass destruction Bill in RS today

New Delhi, July 18: On the first day of the Monsoon session, the Centre is set to move a Bill in the Rajya Sabha to amend the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005.

The Bill named as Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022 will be moved in the Upper House of the Parliament during legislative business commenced in the afternoon.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will move the Bill to amend the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005, as passed by Lok Sabha, reads the List of Business of Rajya Sabha.

The Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on April 5 this year. It was passed on April 6. The Bill amends the WMD and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005 which prohibits the unlawful manufacture, transport, or transfer of WMD (chemical, biological and nuclear weapons) and their means of delivery.

Besides, the Rajya Sabha will start its Monsoon Session at 11 am with the oath of affirmation taken by new members joined the House The House will later observe obituary references to in respect of several dignitaries who passed away recently. Those include former MPs of Rajya Sabha as well as Pandit Shivkumar Sharma-- a legendary Hindustani classical musician and Santoor player and Shinzo Abe, former Prime Minister of Japan; Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates and the Ruler of Abu Dhabi; and Mwai Kibaki, third President of Kenya.

The former MPs who passed away recently are Kishore Kumar Mohanty, (ex-Member); Robert Kharshiing, (ex-Member) and KK Veerappan, (ex-Member). Later, papers of different ministries will be laid on the table of the House, and Secretary General will lay on the table a statement (in English and Hindi) showing the Bills passed by the Houses of Parliament during the Two Hundred and Fifty-sixth Session of the Rajya Sabha and assented to by the President.