New Delhi: As many as 19 government bills remain pending in the Rajya Sabha, with the oldest legislation dating back more than three decades, highlighting how long some proposed laws can remain stuck in Parliament without passage or withdrawal.

Unlike the Lok Sabha, which is dissolved every five years, the Rajya Sabha is a permanent House, and Bills pending there do not lapse. As a result, legislation introduced decades ago can remain on the agenda indefinitely.

According to the Rajya Sabha bulletin, the oldest pending Bill is the Constitution (Seventy-ninth Amendment) Bill, 1992, which sought to promote population control and the small family norm. It also proposed disqualifying MPs and MLAs who had more than two children, a provision that generated significant debate at the time but was never taken up for passage.

Another long-pending Bill is the Delhi Rent (Amendment) Bill, 1997, which aimed to modernise rent control laws but faced strong opposition from tenant and landlord groups.

The Seeds Bill, 2004, intended to regulate seed quality for sale, import and export, also remains pending, even as the government now plans to introduce a fresh Seed Bill, 2025.

The Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2011, introduced when Mallikarjun Kharge was Labour Minister, is also yet to be cleared.

UPA-era and NDA-era Bills still stuck

Several Bills introduced during the UPA-II government remain pending, including:

  • Building and Other Construction Workers Related Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2013
  • Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Amendment Bill, 2013
  • Readjustment of Representation of SC/ST in Parliament and Assemblies Bill, 2013

From the NDA period, pending legislation includes:

  • Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill, 2019, aimed at strengthening tribal autonomy in the Northeast
  • Registration of Marriage of Non-Resident Indian Bill, 2019
  • The most recent pending legislation is the Pesticide Management Bill, 2020.

Why Bills remain pending

Experts note that Bills can remain pending due to political disagreements, lack of consensus, legislative priorities shifting, or the introduction of newer versions of proposed laws. Since Rajya Sabha Bills do not lapse, many older proposals continue to remain technically alive.