Indian Antarctic Bill introduced in Lok Sabha

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Friday introduced the Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022, in the Lok Sabha with the objective to regulate and check any unlawful activity in the Indian research region of the Antarctic zone. After Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury opposed the introduction, Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said the Bill sought to prevent unlawful activities in the Antarctic region, with other countries engaged in research there, including China, already having enacted domestic laws that will extend to the research zones of respective countries in Antarctica. TNS

Irani’s ‘lady member’ address sparks debate

Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said in the Lok Sabha that she saw nothing wrong in addressing a fellow woman parliamentarian as a “lady member”. Irani was responding after Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and TMC’s Saugata Roy objected to Irani referring to YSRCP’s Geeta Viswanath Vanga as a “lady member” during question hour. The two opposition leaders said the minister should have called the MP “honourable member”. TNS

Bill to include more tribes in ST list passed

A Bill to include certain tribal communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes in four newly created districts in Uttar Pradesh was passed in the Lok Sabha with members seeking better implementation of the reservation policies for the categories. The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022, amends the Scheduled Tribes Order to recognise Gond community in the districts of Chandauli, Kushinagar, Sant Kabir Nagar and Sant Ravidas Nagar.