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The oldest among them is a 34-year-old bill on population control, introduced in 1992. One-third of Rajya Sabha members retire every two years, but pending legislation continues unless withdrawn or passed.
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New Delhi: In India’s parliamentary system, the Rajya Sabha functions as a “permanent House,” meaning it is never dissolved. As a result, bills introduced in the Upper House do not automatically lapse, unlike those in the Lok Sabha, which are cleared when the Lower House is dissolved. At present, 19 government bills remain pending in the Rajya Sabha-some for decades.
The oldest among them is a 34-year-old bill on population control, introduced in 1992. One-third of Rajya Sabha members retire every two years, but pending legislation continues unless withdrawn or passed.
Oldest Pending Bill
According to the House bulletin, the longest-pending legislation is the Constitution (Seventy-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 1992. The bill sought to promote the small family norm by making it a fundamental duty under the Constitution. It also proposed disqualifying any Member of Parliament or Member of a Legislative Assembly who had more than two children.
Other Long-Pending Legislations
Several other important bills have remained stuck over the years. The Delhi Rent (Amendment) Bill, 1997, introduced to modernize rent laws in the national capital, failed to move forward due to resistance from both landlords and tenants.
The Seeds Bill, 2004, aimed at regulating and improving seed quality, is another example. The government has since decided to replace it with a new Seeds Bill, 2025.
A bill concerning migrant workers, introduced in 2011 during Mallikarjun Kharge’s tenure as Labour Minister, is also pending. Additionally, bills related to construction workers, employment exchanges, and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe representation, introduced during the UPA government in 2013, continue to remain unresolved.
Pending Bills from the NDA Era
Legislation introduced under the current NDA government has also faced delays. Notably, the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2019 remains pending.
The bill aims to enhance the financial and executive powers of autonomous councils in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram, thereby strengthening tribal autonomy in the Northeast.
Other stalled NDA-era bills include the Registration of Marriages of Non-Resident Indians Bill, 2019. The most recent addition to the list of pending legislation is the Pesticide Management Bill, 2020, which focuses on regulating the manufacture, sale, and safe use of pesticides across the country.
The long list of pending bills highlights how the permanent nature of the Rajya Sabha can lead to prolonged legislative delays, leaving key reforms in limbo for years-and in some cases, decades.
