Private Member’s Bill (PMB)

03.05.2025

Private Member’s Bill (PMB)

Why in the news?                        

The Vice President of India has recently emphasised that PMBs are “forward-looking” and a “gold mine” for legislative progress.

About Private Member’s Bill (PMB)

• A Private Member’s Bill (PMB) is a legislative proposal introduced by any Member of Parliament (MP) who is not a Minister, whether elected or nominated.
• The drafting responsibility of a PMB lies entirely with the MP concerned, not with any Ministry.
• For introducing a PMB in Parliament, a notice period of one month is required under parliamentary rules.
• PMBs often reflect the ideological stance, personal convictions, or public interest concerns of the MP, especially those in the Opposition.

Time Allocation for PMBs in Parliament

• In the Lok Sabha, the last two-and-a-half hours of business on every Friday are earmarked for the introduction and discussion of PMBs.
• In the Rajya Sabha, PMBs are taken up every alternate Friday for two-and-a-half hours.

Historical Record and Trends

• Since Independence, only 14 PMBs have ever been passed and received Presidential assent, with the last one becoming law in 1970.
• In the 17th Lok Sabha (2019–2024), 729 PMBs were introduced in the Lok Sabha and 705 in the Rajya Sabha. Yet, only 2 PMBs were discussed in Lok Sabha, and 14 in the Rajya Sabha.
• In the 18th Lok Sabha, as of the 2024 Budget Session, only 20 MPs introduced PMBs, and not a single one was discussed due to disruptions and prioritisation of other business.

                                                           Source: The Hindu

Consider the following statements regarding the Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership (GARDP), recently seen in the news:

Statement-I: A Private Member’s Bill (PMB) is a legislative proposal introduced by any Member of Parliament (MP) who is a Minister, whether elected or nominated.

Statement-II. PMBs often reflect the ideological stance, personal convictions, or public interest concerns of the MP, especially those in the Opposition.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

A.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.

B.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I.

C.Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect.

D.Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct.

Answer D