Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, is scheduled to introduce The Indian Ports Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha on Friday. As per the official list of business, the proposed legislation seeks to overhaul the existing legal framework for ports in India, aiming to promote integrated development and optimize the use of the country’s extensive coastline.

The bill focuses on enhancing ease of doing business by consolidating port-related laws and establishing empowered State Maritime Boards for the efficient management of non-major ports. In addition, it will facilitate the creation of a Maritime State Development Council to ensure a structured growth trajectory for the port sector.

The legislation also includes provisions for managing pollution, emergencies, navigation safety, and data at ports. It aims to ensure India’s adherence to its international maritime obligations.

Apart from this, the Union Minister is also set to move The Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2024, which defines the rights, liabilities, responsibilities, and immunities related to the sea transportation of goods.

Other key developments in the House include multiple committee reports being tabled. These include:

• Standing Committee on Industry: Chandan Chauhan and Smita Uday Wagh will present the 328th report on the Review of Performance of Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP).
• Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports: Varsha Gaikwad and Sumathy Alias Tamizhachi Thangapandian will submit the 365th report on Demands for Grants 2025-26 for the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• Water Resources Committee: Narayandas Ahirwar will lay down the Final Action Taken Statements.
• Labour, Textiles and Skill Development Committee: Basavaraj Bommai and G M Harish Balayogi will present four action taken statements and other related reports on demands for grants.
  

Union Minister Manohar Lal is also scheduled to make a statement on a withdrawal from the Contingency Fund of India for the launch of a new scheme – Deendayal Jan Aajeevika Yojana (Shehari), addressing urban livelihood.

Later in the day, private member resolutions will be taken up. These include:

• MP Shafi Prambil’s resolution on regulating airfare with a proposal to cap maximum fare per route and establish a quasi-judicial body for monitoring.
• E T Mohammed Basheer’s resolution on tackling drug abuse, calling the issue a threat to public health.
• Parshottambhai Rupala’s proposal for the establishment of Jan Kitnasak Kendras to provide affordable, high-quality pesticides to farmers.
  

Kodikunnil Suresh’s motion urging measures to ensure the delimitation process upholds the democratic rights of all states—a concern raised by several southern MPs in recent sessions.

Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has moved the Madras High Court seeking transit anticipatory bail amid an FIR registered against him for performing a parody song allegedly aimed at Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during a recent show in Mumbai.

The case stems from Kamra’s appearance at the Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai, where a performance triggered political backlash. Following a complaint by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel, a zero FIR was initially lodged and later transferred to Khar police station in Mumbai. The FIR cites sections 353(1)(b), 353(2) (public mischief), and 356(2) (defamation) under the Bharat Nyay Sanhita.

Kamra, who is a resident of Villupuram town in Tamil Nadu, approached the Madras High Court as the complaint originated in Mumbai but he resides outside the jurisdiction.

The comedian’s legal move follows a summons from Mumbai police to appear on March 31 regarding the case. He was initially called in on a prior date but requested a week’s extension.

Tensions escalated after Kamra’s remarks during the performance, prompting a violent response from some Shiv Sena members. The venue, Habitat Club in Khar, witnessed vandalism allegedly carried out by party workers. Police arrested 12 individuals, including Shiv Sena leader Rahool Kanal, for the incident. All were later granted bail.

During the court mention, Kamra’s legal team highlighted that he has been receiving death threats due to the controversy. Currently, according to his Instagram bio, Kamra is in Puducherry.

The Supreme Court has quashed an FIR against Congress Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi over a poem posted on Instagram, reinforcing its stance on protecting freedom of speech. The top court stated that courts must lead in safeguarding the right to free expression and observed that mere discomfort or disagreement cannot be grounds for curbing speech.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan ruled that no offence was made out in the case, criticising the Gujarat Police for its prompt action against the parliamentarian. The FIR was registered in Jamnagar on January 3 by a clerk working for an advocate, who alleged that the poem “Ae khoon ke pyase baat suno” disturbed social harmony.

The court stressed that Article 19(2) of the Constitution, which allows reasonable restrictions on free speech, should not overshadow the fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 19(1). “Restrictions must be reasonable, not fanciful,” the bench noted.

Highlighting the significance of creative expression, the court said, “Literature, including poetry, drama, films, stand-up comedy, satire, and art, makes life more meaningful.” It further remarked that in a democratic society, differing opinions must be addressed with counter-speech rather than suppression.

This verdict comes amid a broader debate over artistic freedom, just days after stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra faced FIRs and public outrage for remarks about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during a performance in Mumbai.

In his defence, Congress MP claimed the poem was penned by celebrated poets Faiz Ahmed Faiz or Habib Jalib, submitting AI-generated screenshots to support his claim. The prosecution, however, argued that as a lawmaker, he should have acted more responsibly.

The Gujarat High Court had earlier refused to quash the FIR, but the Supreme Court overruled that decision, sending a strong message on the primacy of free speech in a democratic framework.