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The Pharmacy (Amendment) Bill, 2023

SECTION Section 1

Untitled Section

1
THE PHARMACY (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2023
A
BILL
further to amend the Pharmacy Act, 1948.
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Seventy-fourth Year of the Republic of India as
follows:—
SECTION Section 10

Untitled Section

section 32C of the Pharmacy Act, 1948:—
“32C. Notwithstanding anything contained in section 32, any person whose
name has been entered in the register of pharmacists maintained under the Jammu
and Kashmir Pharmacy Act, 201 1 or possesses qualification (medical assistant/
pharmacists) prescribed under the said Act shall be deemed to have been entered in
the register of pharmacists prepared and maintained under Chapter IV of this Act,
subject to condition that an application to be made in this behalf within a period of
one year from the commencement of the Pharmacy (Amendment) Act, 2023 and on
payment of such fee, and in such manner, as may be prescribed by the Government of
Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Administration of Union territory of
Ladakh.”.
The above insertion resolves the ambiguity mentioned in the above paras.
SECTION Section 11

Untitled Section

4.The proposed changes have been discussed with the Ministry of Home Affairs
which had in turn held further consultations with the Department of Health and Medical
Education of Government of Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and of administration of
Union territory of Ladakh. The Governments of both the Union territories submitted the
draft amendment Bill duly vetted by their respective Department of Law , Justice, and
Parliamentary Affairs.
SECTION Section 12

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5.The Bill seeks to achieve the above objectives.
NEW DELHI; DR. MANSUKH MANDAVIYA.
The 27th July, 2023.
LOK SABHA
————
A
BILL
further to amend the Pharmacy Act, 1948.
————
(Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Health and Family W elfare)
MGIPMRND—196LS—31.07.2023.
SECTION Section 2

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1.This Act may be called the Pharmacy (Amendment) Act, 2023.
SECTION Section 3

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2.After section 32B of the Pharmacy Act, 1948, the following section shall be inserted,
namely:—
"32C. Notwithstanding anything contained in section 32, any person whose
name has been entered in the register of pharmacists maintained under the Jammu and
Kashmir Pharmacy Act, 2011or possesses qualification (medical assistant/pharmacists)
prescribed under the said Act shall be deemed to have been entered in the register of
pharmacists prepared and maintained under Chapter IV of this Act, subject to condition
that an application to be made in this behalf within a period of one year from the
commencement of the Pharmacy (Amendment) Act, 2023 and on payment of such fee,
and in such manner, as may be prescribed by the Government of Union territory of
Jammu and Kashmir and Administration of Union territory of Ladakh.".
Short title.
Special provision
relating to
persons
registered or
qualified under
Jammu and
Kashmir
Pharmacy Act,
SECTION Section 4

Untitled Section

2011.
Insertion of new
SECTION Section 5

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section 32C.
Jammu and
Kashmir
Act No.
LIII of
2011
(1955 A.D.).
8 of 1948.
Bill No. 114 of 2023
5
10
AS INTRODUCED IN LOK SABHA
STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS
The implementation of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 led to
repealing of various Acts applicable in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir including
the Jammu and Kashmir Pharmacy Act, Samvat, 2011 (1955 A.D.) which regulated the
profession of Pharmacy in the State. Consequently , the Jammu and Kashmir Pharmacy
Council was re-constituted and the Pharmacy Act, 1948 was adopted in the Union territory
of Jammu and Kashmir vide Statutory Order dated 5-10-2020 of MHA introducing
SECTION Section 6

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section 32C in the Pharmacy Act, 1948. It is pertinent to mention that it was never actually
amended in the Pharmacy Act, 1948 but remained a part of the Statutory Order dated
5-10-2020. The section reads as follows:—
“32C. Special provisions regarding persons registered under the Jammu and
Kashmir Pharmacy Act, (Samvat, 2011) (1955 A.D.)—Notwithstanding anything contained
in section 32, any person whose name has been entered in the register of pharmacists
maintained under the Jammu and Kashmir Pharmacy Act, 2011 (1955 A.D.) and
possesses qualification prescribed under the said Act shall be deemed to have been
entered in the register of pharmacists prepared and maintained under Chapter IV of
this Act, subject to an application to be made in this behalf within a period of one year
commencing from 31.10.2020 and payment of such fee as may be prescribed by the
Government of Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.”.
SECTION Section 7

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2.Similarly, the Pharmacy Act, 1948 was adopted in the Union Territory of Ladakh
vide Statutory Order dated 23-10-2020 of MHA introducing a section 32C in the Pharmacy
Act, 1948. It is pertinent to mention that it was never actually amended in the Pharmacy
Act, 1948 but remained a part of the Statutory Order dated 23-10- 2020. The section reads as
follows:—
“32C. Special provisions regarding persons registered under the Jammu and
Kashmir Pharmacy Act, (Samvat, 201 1) (1955 A.D.)—Notwithstanding anything
contained in section 32, any person whose name has been entered in the register of
pharmacists maintained under the Jammu and Kashmir Pharmacy Act, 201 1
(1955 A.D.) and possesses qualification prescribed under the said Act shall be deemed
to have been entered in the register of pharmacists prepared and maintained under
SECTION Section 8

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Chapter IV of this Act, subject to an application to be made in this behalf within a
period of one year commencing from 1st day of the January, 2020 and payment of such
fee as may be prescribed by the Administration of the Union territory of Ladakh.”.
SECTION Section 9

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3.This notification created an ambiguity as it did not mention that whether the
person possessing an approved qualification (medical assistant/pharmacists) under the
Jammu and Kashmir Pharmacy Act, Samvat, 2011 (1955 A.D.) but could not be registered/
did not apply earlier due to some reason has an opportunity to be registered and whether
the students who were undergoing an approved course leading to an approved qualification
(medical assistant/pharmacists) for registration under the Jammu and Kashmir Pharmacy Act,
Samvat, 2011 (1955 A.D.) at the time of enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir Re-organisation
Act, 2019 and have acquired the said approved qualification (medical assistant/pharmacist)
can be considered for registration. Hence, arose the need for amendment of section 32C of
2
3
the Pharmacy Act, 1948. In view of the above, the following insertion is proposed in