Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The combined opposition of BJP and the JD(S) on Tuesday blocked the "APMC Bill" in the Karnataka Legislative Council, where the ruling Congress lacks majority. The 'Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation and Development) (Amendment) Bill, 2023', aims to bring back restrictions on agricultural trading. The Council decided to refer the bill to the House committee for review, as a majority of the members favoured it during the division of votes. There were 31 votes in favour of motion to refer the bill to the House committee and 21 against it. The bill was passed by the Legislative Assembly on Monday, amid protests by the BJP and JD(S), who termed it as "anti-farmer". The then BJP government in 2020, had amended the APMC law allowing farmers to sell wherever they want, as opposed to them having to trade only in notified markets or yards. The BJP government had even removed penalties, which the current Bill proposes to reinstate. Noting that the bill introduced by it protects farmers' interest, the Congress government said, because trading happened outside APMCs, farmers weren't gaining profit, their incomes have not risen and they are not getting competitive rates and, instead, retailing companies made profits. India News | BJP & JD Block APMC Bill in Legislative Council, Referred to House Committee.