# Repealing and Amending (Second) Act, 2017

The Repealing and Amending (Second) Act, 2017 is an Act of the Parliament of India that repealed 131 Acts, and also repealed nine Ordinances promulgated by the Governor-General of India before independence. It also made minor amendments to The Plantations Labour Act, 1951, The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. The Act was the fifth such repealing act tabled by the Narendra Modi administration aimed at repealing obsolete laws.

## Background and legislative history

Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocated the repeal of old laws during his 2014 general election campaign. At the 2015 Economic Times Global Business Summit, Modi stated, "Our country suffers from an excess of old and unnecessary laws which obstruct people and businesses. We began the exercise of identifying unnecessary laws and repealing them. 1,877 Central laws have been identified for repeal."
The Repealing and Amending (Second) Bill, 2017 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 11 August 2017 by the Minister of Law and Justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad. The bill sought to repeal 131 Acts, including over 30 Acts enacted before independence, and also sought to repeal 9 Ordinances promulgated by the Governor General of India before independence. It also sought to make minor amendments to delete some provisions, and rectify drafting errors in The Plantations Labour Act, 1951, The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on 19 December 2017 and by the Rajya Sabha on 28 December 2017. The bill received assent from President Ram Nath Kovind on 5 January 2018, and was notified in The Gazette of India on 8 January 2018.

## Repealed Acts

The 131 Acts included in the bill's First Schedule were completely repealed.
| No. | Year | Act No. | Short title |
| 1 | 1850 | XXI | The Caste Disabilities Removal Act, 1850 |
| 2 | 1857 | VII | The Madras Uncovenanted Officers Act, 1857 |
| 3 | 1857 | XXI | The Howrah Offences Act, 1857 |
| 4 | 1859 | XII | The Calcutta Pilots Act, 1859 |
| 5 | 1862 | III | The Government Seal Act, 1862 |
| 6 | 1873 | XVI | The North-Western Provinces Village and Road Police Act, 1873 |
| 7 | 1875 | XX | The Central Provinces Laws Act, 1875 |
| 8 | 1876 | XIX | The Dramatic Performances Act, 1876 |
| 9 | 1879 | XIV | The Hackney-carriage Act, 1879 |
| 10 | 1879 | XIX | The Raipur and Khattra Laws Act, 1879 |
| 11 | 1881 | XIII | The Fort William Act, 1881 |
| 12 | 1882 | XXI | The Madras Forest (Validation) Act, 1882 |
| 13 | 1883 | X | The Bikrama Singh's Estates Act, 1883 |
| 14 | 1886 | XXI | The Oudh Wasikas Act, 1886 |
| 15 | 1888 | III | The Police Act, 1888 |
| 16 | 1888 | VIII | The Indian Tolls Act, 1888 |
| 17 | 1893 | II | The Porahat Estate Act, 1893 |
| 18 | 1895 | XV | The Government Grants Act, 1895 |
| 19 | 1897 | VIII | The Reformatory Schools Act, 1897 |
| 20 | 1911 | X | The Prevention of Seditious Meetings Act, 1911 |
| 21 | 1912 | VII | The Bengal, Bihar and Orissa and Assam Laws Act, 1912 |
| 22 | 1917 | XXV | The Sir Currimbhoy Ebrahim Baronetcy (Amendment) Act, 1917 |
| 23 | 1921 | XVII | The Cattle-trespass (Amendment) Act, 1921 |
| 24 | 1931 | XX | The Sheriff of Calcutta (Powers of Custody) Act, 1931 |
| 25 | 1932 | XI | The Public Suits Validation Act, 1932 |
| 26 | 1932 | XXIV | The Bengal Suppression of Terrorist Outrages (Supplementary) Act, 1932 |
| 27 | 1938 | XX | The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1938 |
| 28 | 1941 | IV | The Berar Laws Act, 1941 |
| 29 | 1942 | XVIII | The Weekly Holidays Act, 1942 |
| 30 | 1943 | XXIII | The War Injuries (Compensation Insurance) Act, 1943 |
| 31 | 1947 | XVI | The Trading with the Enemy (Continuance of Emergency Provisions) Act, 1947 |
| 32 | 1948 | 26 | The Junagadh Administration (Property) Act, 1948 |
| 33 | 1949 | 51 | The Requisitioned Land (Apportionment of Compensation) Act, 1949 |
| 34 | 1949 | 61 | The Professions Tax Limitation (Amendment and Validation) Act, 1949 |
| 35 | 1950 | IV | The Preventive Detention Act, 1950 |
| 36 | 1950 | L | The Preventive Detention (Amendment) Act, 1950 |
| 37 | 1950 | 67 | The Cooch-Behar (Assimilation of Laws) Act, 1950 |
| 38 | 1951 | 3 | The Part B States (Laws) Act, 1951 |
| 39 | 1951 | IV | The Preventive Detention (Amendment) Act, 1951 |
| 40 | 1951 | 51 | The Railway Companies (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1951 |
| 41 | 1951 | 66 | The Part C States (Miscellaneous Laws) Repealing Act, 1951 |
| 42 | 1951 | 70 | The Displaced Persons (Debts Adjustment) Act, 1951 |
| 43 | 1952 | 1 | The Part B States Marriages Validating Act, 1952 |
| 44 | 1952 | XXXIV | The Preventive Detention (Amendment) Act, 1952 |
| 45 | 1952 | LXI | The Preventive Detention (Second Amendment) Act, 1952 |
| 46 | 1954 | 4 | The Abducted Persons (Recovery and Restoration) Amendment Act, 1954 |
| 47 | 1954 | 7 | The Government of Part C States (Amendment) Act, 1954 |
| 48 | 1954 | 15 | The Transfer of Evacuee Deposits Act, 1954 |
| 49 | 1954 | 20 | The Absorbed Areas (Laws) Act, 1954 |
| 50 | 1954 | 36 | The Chandernagore (Merger) Act, 1954 |
| 51 | 1954 | 51 | The Preventive Detention (Amendment) Act, 1954 |
| 52 | 1955 | 19 | The Commanders-in-Chief (Change in Designation) Act, 1955 |
| 53 | 1955 | 30 | The Abducted Persons (Recovery and Restoration) Continuance Act, 1955 |
| 54 | 1956 | 4 | The Bar Councils (Validation of State Laws) Act, 1956 |
| 55 | 1956 | 50 | The Indian Cotton Cess (Amendment) Act, 1956 |
| 56 | 1956 | 65 | The Abducted Persons (Recovery and Restoration) Continuance Act, 1956 |
| 57 | 1956 | 88 | The Representation of the People (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1956 |
| 58 | 1956 | 97 | The Delhi Tenants (Temporary Protection) Act, 1956 |
| 59 | 1957 | 32 | The Forward Contracts (Regulation) Amendment Act, 1957 |
| 60 | 1957 | 37 | The Legislative Councils Act, 1957 |
| 61 | 1957 | 54 | The Preventive Detention (Continuance) Act, 1957 |
| 62 | 1959 | 24 | The Pharmacy (Amendment) Act, 1959 |
| 63 | 1960 | 31 | The Tripura Municipal Law (Repeal) Act, 1960 |
| 64 | 1960 | 47 | The Bilaspur Commercial Corporation (Repeal) Act, 1960 |
| 65 | 1960 | 48 | The Mahendra Pratab Singh Estates (Repeal) Act, 1960 |
| 66 | 1960 | 53 | The Tripura Excise Law (Repeal) Act, 1960 |
| 67 | 1962 | 62 | The Emergency Risks (Goods) Insurance Act, 1962 |
| 68 | 1962 | 63 | The Emergency Risks (Factories) Insurance Act, 1962 |
| 69 | 1963 | 29 | The Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Act, 1963 |
| 70 | 1963 | 56 | The Delhi Development (Amendment) Act, 1963 |
| 71 | 1964 | 23 | The Delhi (Delegation of Powers) Act, 1964 |
| 72 | 1965 | 50 | The Goa, Daman and Diu (Absorbed Employees) Act, 1965. |
| 73 | 1967 | 16 | The Anti-Corruption Laws (Amendment) Act, 1967 |
| 74 | 1969 | 41 | The International Monetary Fund and Bank (Amendment) Act, 1969 |
| 75 | 1971 | 65 | The Asian Refractories Limited (Acquisition of Undertaking) Act, 1971 |
| 76 | 1971 | 68 | The Uttar Pradesh Cantonments (Control of Rent and Eviction) (Repeal) Act, 1971 |
| 77 | 1972 | 36 | The Coking Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1972 |
| 78 | 1973 | 26 | The Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973 |
| 79 | 1975 | 19 | The All-India Services Regulations (Indemnity) Act, 1975 |
| 80 | 1976 | 22 | The Assam Sillimanite Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Refractory Plant) Act, 1976 |
| 81 | 1976 | 28 | The Parliamentary Proceedings (Protection of Publication) Repeal Act, 1976 |
| 82 | 1976 | 76 | The National Library of India Act, 1976 |
| 83 | 1976 | 89 | The Indian Iron and Steel Company (Acquisition of Shares) Act, 1976 |
| 84 | 1976 | 96 | The Braithwaite and Company (India) Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1976 |
| 85 | 1977 | 16 | The Disputed Elections (Prime Minister and Speaker) Act, 1977 |
| 86 | 1977 | 41 | The Smith, Stainstreet and Company Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1977 |
| 87 | 1977 | 42 | The Gresham and Craven of India (Private) Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1977 |
| 88 | 1978 | 13 | The Hindustan Tractors Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1978 |
| 89 | 1978 | 42 | The Bolani Ores Limited (Acquisition of Shares) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1978 |
| 90 | 1979 | 12 | The Punjab Excise (Delhi Amendment) Act, 1979 |
| 91 | 1980 | 58 | The Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1980 |
| 92 | 1983 | 35 | The Dangerous Machines (Regulation) Act, 1983 |
| 93 | 1984 | 39 | The Punjab Municipal (New Delhi Amendment) Act, 1984 |
| 94 | 1984 | 43 | The Aluminium Corporation of India Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Aluminium Undertaking) Act, 1984 |
| 95 | 1984 | 57 | The Bengal Immunity Company Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1984 |
| 96 | 1985 | 80 | The Customs (Amendment) Act, 1985 |
| 97 | 1987 | 36 | The Brentford Electric (India) Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1987 |
| 98 | 1993 | 24 | The National Thermal Power Corporation Limited, the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited and the North-Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Power Transmission Systems) Act, 1993 |
| 99 | 1994 | 56 | The Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited (Acquisition and Transfer of Power Transmission System) Act, 1994 |
| 100 | 1999 | 6 | The Delhi Development Authority (Validation of Disciplinary Powers) Act, 1998 |
| 101 | 1999 | 8 | The Customs (Amendment) Act, 1998 |
| 102 | 1999 | 49 | The Copyright (Amendment) Act, 1999 |
| 103 | 2000 | 20 | The Direct-tax Laws (Miscellaneous) Repeal Act, 2000 |
| 104 | 2000 | 48 | The Forfeiture (Repeal) Act, 2000 |
| 105 | 2001 | 33 | The Influx from Pakistan (Control) Repealing (Repeal) Act, 2001 |
| 106 | 2001 | 36 | The Indian Universities (Repeal) Act, 2001 |
| 107 | 2001 | 37 | The Auroville (Emergency Provisions) Repeal Act, 2001 |
| 108 | 2001 | 41 | The Central Sales Tax (Amendment) Act, 2001 |
| 109 | 2001 | 47 | The Two-Member Constituencies (Abolition) and other Laws Repeal Act, 2001 |
| 110 | 2002 | 57 | The Mysore State Legislature (Delegation of Powers) Repeal Act, 2002 |
| 111 | 2002 | 65 | The Countess of Dufferin's Fund (Repeal) Act, 2002 |
| 112 | 2002 | 66 | The Prevention of Food Adulteration (Extension to Kohima and Mokokchung Districts) Repeal Act, 2002 |
| 113 | 2002 | 70 | The Refugee Relief Taxes (Abolition) Repeal Act, 2002 |
| 114 | 2003 | 2 | The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2002 |
| 115 | 2005 | 38 | The Displaced Persons Claims and other Laws Repeal Act, 2005 |
| 116 | 2005 | 44 | The Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Amendment Act, 2005 |
| 117 | 2006 | 3 | The Central Sales Tax (Amendment) Act, 2005 |
| 118 | 2006 | 18 | The National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (Amendment) Act, 2006 |
| 119 | 2006 | 24 | The Cess Laws (Repealing and Amending) Act, 2006 |
| 120 | 2006 | 29 | The Taxation Laws (Amendment) Act, 2006 |
| 121 | 2006 | 32 | The Spirituous Preparations (Inter-State Trade and Commerce) Control (Repeal) Act, 2006 |
| 122 | 2006 | 46 | The Produce Cess Laws (Abolition) Act, 2006 |
| 123 | 2006 | 49 | The Indian Rifles (Repeal) Act, 2006 |
| 124 | 2007 | 24 | The Mizoram University (Amendment) Act, 2007 |
| 125 | 2007 | 39 | The Competition (Amendment) Act, 2007 |
| 126 | 2008 | 25 | The Central Universities Laws (Amendment) Act, 2008 |
| 127 | 2009 | 39 | The Competition (Amendment) Act, 2009 |
| 128 | 2010 | 20 | The National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (Amendment) Act, 2010 |
| 129 | 2010 | 33 | The Jharkhand Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Act, 2010 |
| 130 | 2012 | 27 | The Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012 |
| 131 | 2012 | 31 | The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Amendment Act, 2012 |
| Ordinances made by the Governor-General ||||
| 1 | 1941 | VII | The War Injuries Ordinance, 1941 |
| 2 | 1942 | XX | The Collective Fines Ordinance, 1942 |
| 3 | 1942 | XLI | The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Ordinance, 1942 |
| 4 | 1944 | XXI | The Public Health (Emergency Provisions) Ordinance, 1944 |
| 5 | 1945 | XXIV | The War Gratuities (Income-tax Exemption) Ordinance, 1945 |
| 6 | 1945 | XXX | The Secunderabad Marriage Validating Ordinance, 1945 |
| 7 | 1946 | II | The Bank Notes (Declaration of Holdings) Ordinance, 1946 |
| 8 | 1946 | VI | The Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance, 1946 |
| 9 | 1946 | X | The Termination of War (Definition) Ordinance, 1946 |