March 6, 2016: Money Bill on Aadhaar, Customary Reminder on Constitution 108th Amendment Bill as Women's Day is approaching

March 6, 2016: Money Bill on Aadhaar,  Customary Reminder on Constitution 108th Amendment Bill as Women's Day is approaching

General Studies: Daily Capsule

Curtain Raiser –News Update (March 6, 2016)

Money Bill on Aadhaar:

Finance Minister introduced the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016 in the Lok Sabha, which seeks to make the use of Aadhaar mandatory for availing government subsidies but at the same time tries to address concerns regarding privacy and protection of personal information.

The bill has been tabled as a money bill in Lok Sabha. The bill will provide statutory backing to Aadhaar. 

Opposition’s misgivings:

The Opposition is accusing the government of trying to avoid scrutiny over the Aadhaar Bill by categorizing it as a Money Bill.

[---- clause 7 of the Bill: Aadhaar to distribute subsidy

---clause 57 of the Bill: This identification number for any other function

--- Thus not meeting the criteria of a money bill ]

What are Money Bills?

Bills that contain provisions related to taxation, borrowing of money by the government, expenditure from or receipt to the Consolidated Fund of India.

Article 110 of the Indian Constitution defines the Money Bill.

[What is a Money Bill?:

--- Under Article 110 (1) of the Constitution, a Bill is deemed to be a Money Bill if it contains provisions dealing with six specific matters [Article 110 (1)(a) to (1)(f)] broadly related to imposing, abolishing or regulating a tax; regulating government borrowings; the Consolidated and Contingency Funds of India; and “any matter incidental to any of the matters specified in (the previous six) sub-clauses… [Article 110(1)(g)]”. The expression “incidental to” makes the definition of a Money Bill comprehensive.

--- If any question arises whether a Bill is a Money Bill or not, Article 110(3) says, “the decision of the Speaker of the House of the People thereon shall be final”.]

Features of a Money Bill:

--- Money bills can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha

--- The Rajya Sabha cannot make amendments to a money bill passed by the Lok Sabha and can only make recommendations

---  The Rajya Sabha also has to return money bills to the Lok Sabha within 14 days from the date of their receipt, thus ensuring a time-bound process

--- Such bills also cannot be referred to a joint committee of Parliament

(Source: http://www.livemint.com/Politics/77djKIxnDrQ9HVz2mxBGMI/Aadhar-Bill-introduced-as-a-money-bill-in-Lok-Sabha.html , http://www.financialexpress.com/article/budget-2016/govt-tables-bill-in-lok-sabha-to-give-statutory-status-to-aadhaar-card-status/219054/ , http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/meaning-money-bill/ )

Women’s Reservation Bill/Constitution 108^th Amendment Bill:

--- to reserve one third of the seats in State legislatures and Parliament for women

--- Women’s day is falling on March 8

--- Hopefully someday this Bill will be passed