- NET Web Desk
A bill granting statutory cover to family courts established in Nagaland & Himachal Pradesh, and retrospectively validating all actions undertaken by them, has been passed in the Parliament on Thursday.
Rajya Sabha approved the Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2022 through voice voting, despite protests from the opposition parties led by Congress members who alleged misuse of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) by the government.
The bill was approved by Lok Sabha last week.
The Family Courts (Amendment) Bill aims to put a clause into Sub-Section 3 of Section 1; seeking the establishment of family courts in Himachal Pradesh with effect from February 15, 2019 and in Nagaland with effect from September 12, 2008.
Besides, the bill also seeks to include a new section 3A that will retroactively legalize all measures initiated by the governments of Himachal Pradesh & Nagaland and the family courts of these states.
Two family courts were established in Nagaland in 2008 and three in Himachal Pradesh in 2019 through notifications issued by the respective state governments.
The issue of lack of jurisdiction of the family courts in Himachal Pradesh came to the fore during proceedings of the Himachal Pradesh High Court last year.
As soon as the bill was cleared, the Deputy Chairman Harivansh adjourned the House for the day.
