The President has
given his assent to the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment)
Bill, 2002, the Countess of Dufferin’s Fund (Repeal) Bill, 2002,
the Prevention of Food Adulteration (Extension to Kohima and Mokokchung
Districts) Repeal Bill, 2002, the Appropriation (Railways) No.5
Bill, 2002, the North-Eastern Council (Amendment) Bill, 2002 and
the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Maritime Navigation
and Fixed Platforms on Continental Shelf Bill, 2002. With this,
these six Bills, as passed by the Parliament during its Winter
Session ending December 20, 2002, have been notified in the Gazette
of India as Act Nos. 64, 65, 66, 67, 68 and 69 respectively of
the year 2002.
The Medical Termination
of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act, 2002, seeks to amend the Principal
Act of 1971 to provide for a deterrent punishment of two years
rigorous imprisonment extendable upto seven years of such harsh
punishment to those who are not registered medical practioners
for unauthorized and illegal termination of pregnancies. Besides,
person owning the place where such acts are performed, if not
approved within this Act, shall also get the same deterrent punishment.
It will be enforced from a date to be notified by the Government.
The Countess of Dufferin’s
Fund (Repeal) Act, 2002, seeks to repeal the 1957 Act, as it has
been rendered outdated and pursuant to recommendations of P.C.Jain
Commission on Administrative Laws.
The Prevention of
Food Adulteration (Extension to Kohima and Mokokchung Districts)
Repeal, Act 2002, seeks to repeal the Principal Act of 1972, following
recommendations of P.C.Jain Commission on Administrative Laws.
The Appropriation
(Railways) No.5 Bill, 2002, seeks to authorize payment and appropriation
of certain further sums from and out of the Consolidated Fund
of India for the services of the financial year 2002-03 for Railways.
The sum appropriated for the purpose is Rs. 25,000.
The North-Eastern
Council (Amendment) Act 2002, seeks to amend the North-Eastern
Council Act, 1971, to include the State of Sikkim along with the
existing States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya,
Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura to enable the Council to function
as a cohesive regional planning board for an integrated coordinated
approach to the development of the member States. In any member
State where Council of Ministers is not in position, will be represented,
by a nominee. Otherwise, Chief Ministers will represent the respective
States in the Council. The Council will meet twice in a year.
This amendment will be enforced from a date to be notified by
the Government.
The Suppression of
Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Maritime Navigation and Fixed
Platforms on Continental Shelf Act, 2002, seeks to give effect
to the International Maritime Organisation Convention and the
Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety
of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf. The offences
under this Act shall be tried by a designated court. It will be
enforced from a date to be notified by the Government.
