Pvt Members' Bills return to spotlight, even as history shows rare success

Despite rarely becoming law, these have left a lasting imprint on India's legislative journey

With MPs introducing a clutch of private members’ Bills (PMBs) on issues ranging from digital harms to workplace rights, attention has once again turned to a legislative route that has historically played a limited but symbolically important role in India’s law-making process. 

PMBs are introduced by MPs who are not part of the government. While they follow the same formal procedure as legislation placed in Parliament by the government, their chances of enactment are slim. Parliamentary records show that only 14 PMBs have been enacted, the last in 1970. 

Shumsher K Sheriff, former secretary general, Rajya Sabha, said: “PMBs play