Important Bills Passed in Parliament 2025 — CLAT GK
Parliamentary legislation is a consistent CLAT GK source and, increasingly, a Legal Reasoning passage source. A Bill that creates new legal rights or liabilities can appear in two forms: as a direct GK question about its provisions, or as the basis for a passage that extracts a principle from its text and tests it across fact scenarios.
Legislative Process — Static Concepts CLAT Tests Every Year
Money Bill (Art 110)
Taxation, appropriation, Consolidated Fund, borrowing. Lok Sabha only. Rajya Sabha advisory. No joint sitting.
Financial Bill
Contains money provisions + other matters. Introduced in Lok Sabha only, but both Houses must pass it.
Ordinary Bill
Introduced in either House. Both Houses pass. Joint sitting if disagreement.
Constitutional Amendment (Art 368)
Special majority (2/3 present + voting + majority of total membership). Federal provisions: also state ratification (1/2 states).
Ordinance (Art 123)
President issues when Parliament not in session. Has force of law. Lapses after 6 weeks of Parliament reconvening unless approved.
Joint Sitting (Art 108)
Called by President when Houses deadlock on Ordinary Bill. Simple majority of total members present and voting prevails. Not for Money Bills or Constitution Amendment Bills.
Significant Bills Passed in 2025
Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025
- Non-Muslim members introduced on Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards
- Waqf by user doctrine restricted — formal instrument now required
- Government revenue officials may verify disputed Waqf property ownership
- Waqf Tribunal decisions now subject to High Court jurisdiction
Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025
- Consolidates Foreigners Act 1946, Registration of Foreigners Act 1939, and Passport (Entry into India) Act 1920
- Unified framework for entry, stay, and exit of foreigners
- Biometric and digital registration requirements
- Enhanced penalties for illegal entry and stay; expanded deportation grounds
Disaster Management (Amendment) Act 2024-25
- NDMA given authority to issue binding directions to state governments during declared disasters
- Urban Disaster Management Authorities established for large cities
- Definition of "disaster" expanded to include cyber incidents and pandemics
- Disaster management plans made legally binding for critical infrastructure operators
Advocates (Amendment) Act 2025
- Foreign lawyers and foreign law firms permitted to advise on non-litigious (transactional) matters in India
- Foreign lawyers cannot appear in Indian courts — only domestic advocates
- Bar Council of India retains disciplinary and regulatory oversight
- Enhanced provisions for misconduct proceedings against advocates
Revision Table — Bills 2025 for CLAT
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Money Bill and an Ordinary Bill?
A Money Bill (Article 110) deals exclusively with taxation, appropriation, the Consolidated Fund, or borrowing. It can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha; the Rajya Sabha can only return it with recommendations within 14 days — it cannot amend or reject it. An Ordinary Bill can be introduced in either House and requires passage by both Houses. If the two Houses disagree on an Ordinary Bill, the President may summon a joint sitting.
What are the key changes in the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025?
The Waqf Amendment Act 2025 introduced non-Muslim members on Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards, restricted the doctrine of "Waqf by user" (whereby long use for religious purposes could create Waqf status without a deed), allowed government revenue officials to verify disputed Waqf property ownership, and made Waqf Tribunal decisions subject to High Court challenge. It was challenged under Articles 25-26 (religious freedom) and proceedings are before the Supreme Court.
What is Waqf by user?
Waqf by user is the doctrine under which property used for religious or charitable purposes over a long period could acquire Waqf status even without a formal declaration or deed. The Waqf Amendment Act 2025 restricted this doctrine, limiting Waqf creation to formal instruments. Critics argued this removed protection for historical mosques, graveyards, and dargahs established before formal deeds were common.
What is the One Nation One Election proposal?
The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill proposes simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and all State Legislative Assemblies. It requires amending Articles 83, 85, 172, 174, and 356, and because these changes affect the federal structure, ratification by at least half the state legislatures is required under Article 368. The Bill was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee in December 2024 and was under examination through 2025. CLAT tests the constitutional mechanism required, not the bill's political merits.
What is the constitutional amendment procedure under Article 368?
Most constitutional amendments require a special majority: two-thirds of members present and voting plus a majority of the total membership of each House. Some amendments that affect the federal structure — including provisions about Union-State relations, the Supreme Court, and electoral processes — additionally require ratification by legislatures of not less than one-half of the states. Simple majority suffices for a few provisions (like creating new states). CLAT tests which type of amendment requires which procedure.
What did the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025 consolidate?
It consolidated three colonial-era statutes: the Foreigners Act 1946, the Registration of Foreigners Act 1939, and the Passport (Entry into India) Act 1920 into a single unified framework governing the entry, stay, and exit of foreign nationals in India. It introduced biometric registration requirements, enhanced penalties for illegal entry, and expanded grounds for detention and deportation. Its constitutional dimensions include Article 21 (liberty for non-citizens) and Article 22 (protection against arbitrary detention).
What changed under the Advocates (Amendment) Act 2025?
The Advocates Amendment Act 2025 partially liberalised the legal services market by allowing foreign lawyers and foreign law firms to advise on non-litigious (transactional) matters in India — they cannot appear in Indian courts. This opened a portion of the Indian legal market to foreign firms for the first time since the Advocates Act 1961 effectively barred them. The Bar Council of India retains regulatory oversight. CLAT tests who regulates the legal profession (BCI at national level, State Bar Councils at state level).
How does CLAT test parliamentary legislation?
Through four question types: (1) identifying which Bill is a Money Bill vs an Ordinary Bill; (2) scheme-ministry mapping for newly created statutory bodies; (3) constitutional provisions engaged by a given Bill (which Article does the law implement or potentially violate?); (4) legal reasoning passages — a significant Bill's key provision may be extracted as a passage principle, with fact scenarios testing its application. The Waqf Amendment, Immigration Act, and Advocates Amendment are all strong candidates for this last format.