The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a Bill that allows a child below 14 years to be employed if he or she is his/her family. In all other cases, employing a child below that age can lead to an imprisonment of up to two years.
The Rajya Sabha had passed the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2016, on July 19.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Varun Gandhi criticised the Bill, saying, "It's not leniency, but lunacy," while Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said the amendments were "historic".
The amendment prescribes no punishment for a first-time offender parent but there is provision for penalty for repeat offenders. Gandhi wanted to know how the authorities would determine whether the parent violating the law was a first-time offender or a repeat one. He demanded the list of hazardous industries be expanded to construction activities also under the child labour laws.
Business Standard New Delhi, 27th July 2016
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