Pranab gives assent to 5 key laws

They call for firm action for crimes against SCs & STs, faster arbitration to solve business disputes
NEW DELHI A law enabling set-

ting up of commercial benches in select high courts and

another on arbitration for
speedy settlement of highvalue business disputes are
among the five legislation
which have got the nod from
President Pranab Mukherjee.
Besides, a law for stringent
action against those involved
in crimes against persons belonging to Scheduled Castes
and Scheduled Tribes too got
Mr. Mukherjees assent.
Mr. Mukherjee gave nod to
the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Act; the
Scheduled Castes and the
Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amend-

ment Act; the Commercial

Courts, Commercial Division
and Commercial Appellate
Division of High Courts Act;
The Atomic Energy (Amendment) Act; and the Payment
of Bonus (Amendment) Act,
2015, on Thursday, official
sources said.
Nuclear collaboration
The
Atomic
Energy
(Amendment) Act will allow
state-run Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd
(NPCIL) to have collaboration with other public sector
undertakings in the nuclear
field. The law amends the
1962 Atomic Energy Act to
change the definition of gov-

Dedicating an SC
or ST as a devadasi
to a temple will
be considered
an offence
ernment company in the Act
with a view to expand its
scope. At present, only two
PSUs NPCIL and Bhartiya
Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam
Limited, which are under the
administrative control of the
Department of Atomic Energy, operate nuclear power
plants in the country.
Bonus payment
The Payment of Bonus

(Amendment) Act, 2015, provides for enhancing monthly

bonus calculation ceiling to
Rs. 7,000 per month from the
existing Rs. 3,500. It also enhances the eligibility limit for
payment of bonus from Rs.
10,000 per month to Rs.
21,000 per month.
As per the Arbitration and
Conciliation (Amendment)
Act, 2015, an arbitrator will
have to settle a case within 18
months. After the completion
of 12 months, certain restrictions will be put in place to
ensure that the arbitration
case does not linger.
The Commercial Courts,
Commercial Division and
Commercial Appellate Divi-

sion of High Courts Act is

aimed at creating commercial
benches in select high courts.
Under the Scheduled
Castes and the Scheduled
Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015,
assaulting or sexually exploiting an SC or ST woman is an
offence. The Act states that
any intentional touching of an
SC or ST woman in a sexual
manner without her consent,
using words, acts or gestures
of a sexual nature, dedicating
her as a devadasi to a temple,
or any similar practice will be
considered an offence.
These bills were passed by
Parliament in the recently
concluded session. PTI