Bill on workers' rights in relation to safety from AI among 50 introduced in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: Nearly fifty private members' bills, including those seeking to protect employees' rights in relation to use and implementation of artificial intelligence in workplaces; prevent and criminalise creation and use of deepfake contents were introduced in Rajya Sabha on Friday.

Members across political parties, from ruling BJP to opposition TMC, Congress, RJD, CPI, CPI(M) and AAP introduced several private members' bills, including two separate bills seeking to increase the sitting of Parliament to at least 100 to 120 days a year, in the post lunch session of the Upper House.

TMC member Mausam B Noor introduced the Artificial Intelligence (Protection of Rights of Employees) Bill, 2023 that seeks to protect the rights of employees in relation to the use and implementation of AI atworkplaces. It also seeks to regulate the use of and ensure transparency in the implementation of AI technologies at workplaces.

Noor also introduced the Deepfake Prevention and Criminalisation Bill, 2023 that seeks to prevent and criminalise the creation, dissemination, and use of deepfake content without consent or without digital watermark.

Derek O' Brien (TMC) introduced the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (amendment of article 85) seeking a minimum of 100 days of sittings in Parliament and to have a fixed calendar.

Introducing the bill, O' Brien said, "Currently what is happening is the number of days we sit in Parliament is only 55 days. So, to uphold the integrity of representative democracy, it is important (that) we sit for 100 days and we have a calendar." Manoj Kumar Jha of RJD also introduced The Parliament (Productivity Enhancement) Bill, 2024 "whereby each house of Parliament shall compulsorily sit for not less than 120 days per year".

The bill proposed fixing minimum number of sittings for each House of Parliament, extending the hours of a sitting, introduction of a short session of Parliament in addition to the existing practice of three Sessions, institution of a mechanism to separately discuss opposition business and compensation for the hours unutilised due to disruptions.

Congress member Vivek K Tankha introduced The Entrepreneurship Leave Bill, 2024 seeking provisions in the service conditions of Central government employees, employees of public sector undertakings, and employees of statutory, autonomous and constitutional bodies, to enable them to avail up to two years of unpaid leave to pursue their startup venture.

On the other hand, Sumitra Balmik (BJP) introduced the National Tribal Heritage Council Bill, 2024 that seeks the establishment of a National Tribal Heritage Council for the protection, preservation and promotion of the rich cultural heritage of tribal communities in India.

Another BJP member Ajeet Madhavarao Gopchade introduced The Public Works (Quality Assurance and Transparency) Bill, 2024 to ensure transparency, accountability and quality assurance in the execution of public works by the Central government by creation of a monitoring authority, promotion of fair tendering practices and drafting of guidelines for quality assurance.

CPI(M) member V Sivadasan introduced the Right to Free Public Health Care Bill, 2024 to provide for the right to free public health care to all citizens in India.

AAP member Vikramjit Singh Sahney introduced the Online Hate Speech (Prevention) Bill, 2024 to provide for the prevention and control of hate speech on online platforms, to promote digital harmony and responsible online behaviour, to define offences related to online hate speech and provide for penalties and to create a regulatory framework for online platforms.