Urban employment guarantee among private members' bills introduced in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi, Dec 5 (PTI) Private members' bills, including one to provide guaranteed employment in urban areas, one to give citizens "right to recall" elected representatives, and another to change the preamble of the Constitution, were among those introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

A private member's bill is a legislative proposal introduced in Parliament by a Member of Parliament (MP) who is not a minister.

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien introduced a Bill to formulate a law to provide guaranteed urban employment, on the lines of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

The Bill aims to provide for enhancement of livelihood security to individuals in urban areas of the country by formulation of an Employment Guarantee Scheme aimed at providing guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every adult in urban areas who volunteer to do skilled or unskilled work.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha introduced a Bill to give citizens the "right to recall" elected representatives, which was one of the key demands and promises of the AAP.

Moving the Bill for introduction, Chadha said it seeks to empower Indian citizens by allowing them right to recall elected representatives under specific conditions.

"The Bill addresses this gap where elected representatives can be recalled if they don't perform their duties," he said.

BJP MP Bhim Singh, meanwhile, introduced The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (amendment of the Preamble), to remove the words 'socialist' and 'secular' from the preamble of the Constitution.

Nominated MP Sudha Murty introduced The Prevention of Cruelty to Animal (Amendment) Bill, 2025, to amend the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

TMC MP Saket Gokhale introduced a Bill to provide for the transcription, maintenance and public availability of accurate records of proceedings of all courts in India.

CPI(M) MP V Sivadasan introduced a Bill to guarantee free access to libraries within the country to all citizens in a nondiscriminatory manner and develop and maintain a comprehensive public library system within the country to cater to the general and specialised needs of members of the community, while his party colleague John Brittas introduced a Bill to amend the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.

AAP MP Ashok Mittal introduced The Right to Health Care Services Bill, 2025, to provide for the right to healthcare services for all citizens.

Only 14 private members' bills have been passed into law in the history of the Indian Parliament, and none have been passed by both Houses since 1970. PTI AO TRB