Rajya Sabha's Legislative Backlog: A 31-Year Wait

Nineteen government Bills are pending in the Rajya Sabha, with some dating back as far as 1992. The oldest is The Constitution (Seventy-ninth Amendment) Bill, intended to promote population control. Unlike the Lok Sabha, these Bills do not lapse and remain active in the Upper House over the years.

The legislative backlog in the Rajya Sabha continues to mount, with 19 government Bills pending, some dating back to as early as 1992. Among these, the longest-standing is The Constitution (Seventy-ninth Amendment) Bill. This particular Bill aims to amend the Directive Principles of State Policy to promote population control.

The Rajya Sabha operates differently from the Lok Sabha as it is never dissolved, meaning that Bills do not lapse as they do in the Lower House. This unique attribute allows for a prolonged duration of pending legislation, contributing to the current backlog.

Included in this list is The Delhi Rent (Amendment) Bill, 1997, intended to modernize rent control laws, despite resistance from various groups. Numerous Bills introduced during the UPA 2 and NDA regimes, such as the 2019 Constitution Amendment Bill for tribal autonomy and The Pesticide Management Bill, 2020, remain unresolved.

(With inputs from agencies.)