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The Winter session of Parliament, Supriya Sule launched a proposed the Bill of ‘Right To Disconnect’ within the Lok Sabha which felt unusually in sync with the lives of hundreds of thousands
Parliament Winter Session Day 8: Debate on SIR to proceed.
India’s labour panorama is buzzing with discuss of burnout, overwork and “always-on” expectations. Yet essentially the most critical try and restrict after-hours work didn’t come from the federal government. It got here from a single MP a personal member pushing a legislative proposal most count on will go nowhere. That distinction makes the introduction of the Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025 as dramatic as it’s symbolic.
On 6 December 2025, in the course of the Winter Session of Parliament, Supriya Sule, a Member of Parliament from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) submitted a Private Member’s Bill that may give employees the authorized proper to “disconnect” from work after workplace hours or on holidays. The Bill additionally requires establishing an Employees’ Welfare Authority to implement these protections.
It looks like a well timed intervention however as each pupil of Indian legislative historical past is aware of Private Member’s Bills not often change into regulation. In truth, none has handed each homes of Parliament since 1970. To perceive what the introduction of this Bill actually means, it’s price stepping again and asking the essential questions that many readers instinctively have.
Who Is A ‘Private Member’ Of Parliament?
In the only phrases, a personal member is any Member of Parliament who isn’t a minister. That contains MPs from the ruling occasion if they don’t maintain a Cabinet, Minister of State or Deputy Minister place. Once an MP joins the Executive, they stop to be a personal member and may solely introduce authorities payments.
Everyone else whether or not from the Opposition or the treasury benches is taken into account a personal member. This distinction, although easy on paper, underpins your complete logic of Private Members’ Bills. They provide MPs outdoors the Executive a strategy to introduce legislative concepts without having the federal government’s sponsorship.
What Is A Private Member’s Bill?
A Private Member’s Bill is any legislative proposal launched by a personal member moderately than a minister. India’s Constitution permits any MP to suggest a regulation, however PMBs have historically served a distinct goal from government-backed payments.
Where PMBs differ isn’t in process, however in sensible actuality. They are allotted time solely on Fridays. MPs can introduce at most three notices per session. And the federal government controls the legislative calendar, which means non-public members not often obtain sufficient debate time for his or her proposal to maneuver ahead.
How Do Private Members’ Bills Differ From Public Bills?
| Feature | Private Members’ Bill | Public Bill |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | Can be launched in both House of Parliament | Can be launched in both House of Parliament |
| Introduced by | Any MP aside from a minister | Minister (authorities) |
| Chance of Approval in Parliament | Lesser probability | Greater probability |
| Rejection of the Bill | No impact on authorities’s place | May indicate lack of parliamentary confidence; might result in authorities resignation |
| Notice Period for Introduction | One month | Seven days |
| Drafting of the Bill | Drafted by the member introducing it | Drafted by involved division in session with Law Department |
| Timing of Discussion | Can be launched and mentioned solely on Fridays | Can be mentioned on any sitting day as per legislative agenda |
| Number of Bills per MP per Session | Maximum of three per session | No such cap |
| Support/Resources | Limited; no bureaucratic backing | Full assist from authorities ministries and authorized specialists |
| Purpose | Primarily to boost points, spark debate, or sign considerations | Legislative implementation of presidency insurance policies |
| Presidential Role | President can train absolute veto | Standard assent course of; not often vetoed |
Have Any Private Members’ Bills Ever Become Law?
Only 14 Private Members’ Bills have ever change into Acts since independence. Some notable examples embody:
- The Muslim Wakfs Act, 1954, launched in 1952 by Syed Mohammed Ahmed Kasmi.
- The Parliamentary Proceedings (Protection of Publication) Act, 1956, launched by Feroze Gandhi, which strengthened press freedom.
- The Orphanages and Other Charitable Homes (Supervision and Control) Act, 1960, from a Rajya Sabha MP.
- The Supreme Court (Enlargement of Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction) Act, 1970, the final PMB ever handed.
The final entry is a very powerful. Since 1970 nearly 55 years, no Private Member’s Bill has cleared each Houses of Parliament and acquired Presidential assent. Hundreds have been launched, debated or withdrawn, however none have crossed the end line.
| S.No | Private Members’ Bill | Private Member | House |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Muslim Wakf’s Bill, 1952 | Syed Mohammed Ahmed Kasmi | Lok Sabha |
| 2 | The Indian Registration (Amendment) Bill, 1955 | SC Samanta | Lok Sabha |
| 3 | The Parliamentary Proceedings (Protection of Publication) Bill, 1956 | Feroze Gandhi | Lok Sabha |
| 4 | The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 1953 | Raghunath Singh | Lok Sabha |
| 5 | The Women’s & Children’s Institution (Licensing) Bill, 1954 | Kamledu Mati Shah | Lok Sabha |
| 6 | The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 1957 | Subhadra Joshi | Lok Sabha |
| 7 | The Salaries & Allowances of MPs (Amendment) Bill, 1964 | Raghunath Singh | Lok Sabha |
| 8 | The Hindu Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 1963 | Diwan Chand Sharma | Lok Sabha |
| 9 | Supreme Court (Enlargement of Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction) Bill, 1968 | Anand Narian Mullah | Lok Sabha |
| 10 | The Ancient and Historical Monuments & Archeological Sites and Remains (Declaration of National Importance) Bill, 1954 | Dr Raghubir Singh | Rajya Sabha |
| 11 | The Hindu Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 1956 | Dr Seeta Parmanand | Rajya Sabha |
| 12 | The Orphanages & Other Charitable Homes (Supervision & Control) Bill, 1960 | Kailashh Bihari Lal | Rajya Sabha |
| 13 | Marine Insurance Bill, 1959 | MP Bhargava | Rajya Sabha |
| 14 | Indian Penal Code (Amendment) Bill | Diwan Chaman Lall | Rajya Sabha |
Who Introduced The Right to Disconnect Bill in The Parliament?
Supriya Sule, a senior NCP chief and three-term MP, has usually raised points associated to labour welfare, gender, digital rights and work tradition. Her Bill responds to an issue that almost each white-collar employee in India acknowledges, the disappearance of after-hours boundaries. The Bill argues that:
- Employees shouldn’t be required to reply official communication past work hours.
- Workers ought to have the correct to digital disengagement.
- Employers should create clear after-hours insurance policies.
- A devoted authority ought to oversee compliance and grievances.
It is launched at a time when workforce tendencies are shifting shortly extra distant and hybrid work, longer digital engagement, elevated burnout and rising mental-health considerations. A 2024 NASSCOM survey discovered that over 80% of staff felt stress to answer to work messages after hours, whereas LinkedIn’s workforce confidence index flagged sustained burnout indicators all through 2024–25.
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