Merchant Shipping Bill introduced in Lok Sabha

New Delhi: A bill which seeks to set up a body to hold regulatory and oversight functions relating to security of vessels and port facilities was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday with some opposition members questioning the legislative competence of the government in bringing the measure.

There was a brief lull in the din created by the opposition over Adani and other issues when the Merchant Shipping Bill was being introduced by Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

Opposing the bill at the introductory stage, Manish Tewari (Congress) said the government lacked legislative competence to legislate on merchant shipping as the subject has no direct entry in the central or concurrent list on which the Union (central government) can bring laws.

Saugata Roy of the TMC said the proposed legislation will only help hand over more powers to the bureaucracy.

He said it will only hinder and not develop merchant shipping in the country.

After the opposition members had spoken on the bill, the House saw renewed sloganeering by opposition.

Sonowal asserted that the bill has been brought as per constitutional provisions and has been vetted by two law ministry departments -- legal affairs and legislative.